DEO rubbishes charge but Minister says the officer is asked to submit report
At a time while schools have been declared as punishment-free zones, a woman teacher of a Government primary school was accused of beating a student of Class III. She caused injury to the student, including a fracture in his left hand.
The allegation came to the fore after the victim’s father Sudarshan Bharati lodged an FIR with the police on Wednesday against Puspalata Das of Jalakhtua primary school at Mahisapata under Gopalpur panchayat in Bahanaga block after about two weeks of the incident.
Bharati alleged that his son Sudhnshu was beaten mercilessly with a wooden stick by the teacher on August 18 last, leading to the fracture. “A case was registered under Section 325 of IPC acting on the FIR lodged against the errant teacher and the matter is under investigation,” said Khantapara police station IIC Sankarshan Dalei.
According to the complainant, his son was caned by Das while he was playing on a table along with his friends in a class room. After returning home he complained of pain in his left hand which had a swelling. He was taken to a hospital soon. On the advice of the doctor, an X-Ray was conducted which revealed a fracture in the hand.
However, on being asked, District Education Officer Harekrushna Kandi rubbished the charge, saying, “The student had slipped and fallen on a concrete floor of the school which led to the fracture. He was never canned. Besides the school’s in-charge had paid `1,000 towards his treatment.” School and Mass Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra said that the DEO has been asked to submit a report.