In yet another disturbing incident underscoring the deep-seated caste prejudices in Uttar Pradesh, a Dalit student in Mainpuri was brutally assaulted by his teacher for touching a water bottle in the classroom.
The teacher not only hurled casteist slurs at the 15-year-old but also locked him in a room and beat him so severely that two of his fingers were broken.
The incident occurred at Narendra Pratap Singh Higher Secondary School in Haripur Catholic village under Kishani police station. The Class 11 student, a resident of Katheria village, had gone to school on March 29 when he picked up a water bottle placed on a table.
Enraged, biology teacher Mangal Singh Shakya allegedly abused him, saying, “How dare you touch the bottle? Now it has become untouchable. Who will drink from it?” The teacher then confined him to a room during recess and beat him mercilessly with a stick.
The student sustained severe injuries on his thigh, shoulder, and jaw, apart from the broken fingers. When he reached home crying, his family rushed him to the hospital, where an X-ray confirmed the fractures.
The victim’s ordeal did not end there. When he went to Kishani police station to lodge a complaint, the police allegedly refused to take action.
Left with no choice, the student and his family approached the Superintendent of Police (SP) on Tuesday, demanding justice. The SP has since assured an investigation and strict action against the accused teacher.
This incident is yet another grim reminder of the rampant caste-based discrimination that continues to plague parts of Uttar Pradesh, where Dalits often face violence and humiliation for perceived transgressions. The student’s family, along with members of the local Dalit community, is now demanding swift legal action to ensure justice and prevent such atrocities in the future.
