No arrests in four days on six-year-old's death due to alleged teacher assault in Vizag
No arrests have been made yet after a six-year-old boy died following an alleged assault by his teacher at a private school in Andhra Pradesh’s Vizag. Officials say the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the child's death is still ongoing. Meanwhile the Department of School Education has launched an enquiry.
The boy, identified as Pranay Teja, a UKG student at Little Garden School, collapsed in his classroom on August 20. His family alleges that the teacher slapped Pranay over unfinished homework. The child was then taken to King George Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.
CCTV footage from the classroom, which has since gone viral on social media reportedly shows the teacher hitting the child shortly before he collapsed. The footage has triggered widespread outrage and renewed concerns over corporal punishment in schools.
Speaking to the media,police inspector Pudi Vara Prasad said, a case has been registered under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and that an investigation has begun, “The victim’s father has given a written complaint. The post-mortem examination has been conducted, and we have given the body to the parents after the examination.”
The samples from the post-mortem have also been sent to the pathology department and the officials are awaiting the reports. The officer said, the exact cause of death will be established only after all relevant medical findings are received.
Meanwhile, the Department of School Education has constituted a three-member committee comprising the Regional Joint Director, District Education Officer and Revenue Divisional Officer to conduct a detailed inquiry into the incident. An enquiry has also been ordered as part of the investigation.
District Education Officer for Vizag, Sri B. Lingeswar Reddy said, “No arrest has been reported so far in connection with the death. Action against those responsible, including the school management, is expected to be considered based on the findings of the ongoing investigations and medical reports.”
(With inputs from PTI)
