Arunachal: Teacher's cruelty toward students at Patanjali school sparks outrage
A video of children with multiple injury marks allegedly inflicted by a teacher at Acharyakulam, a primary school affiliated with Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Ayurveda in Arunachal Pradesh, recently went viral. The parents of some of the victim students are now claiming that their kids are adamant about not going back to school because they fear they will be beaten up again. At least 20 children were reportedly assaulted by the teacher.
Identity of accused teacher
According to reports, students from Classes 1 to 4 were subjected to physical abuse by the school in-charge, Sadhvi Devkriti, on December 7 during class hours. Devkriti also threatened the students with dire consequences if they reported the incident to their parents. However, the parents learned about the matter after seeing bruises on their children's bodies.
Arunachal's child rights body's reaction to incident
The incident triggered a massive row, prompting the Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (APSCPCR) to initiate an investigation. APSCPCR member Secretary Khoda Rakhi also visited the school in Pakke-Kessang district's Seijosa with senior officials to inquire into the matter. Under mounting pressure, the school authority decided to terminate Devkriti's service on December 10.
Case registered, probe underway: Police
Pakke-Kessang Superintendent of Police (SP) Tasi Darang announced that a case has also been registered at the Seijosa Police Station. The top cop said that a medical crew had examined the victims, and their injuries were not life-threatening. Acharyakulam, which was founded only two years ago, touts itself on Facebook as an educational institute with the objective of imparting both Vedic and modern education simultaneously.
Arunachal government issues notice to close down school
In addition, the state government issued a notification on Thursday to close down the school in question "until the matter is brought to a logical conclusion." The notification, undersigned by Seijosa Additional Deputy Commissioner TR Tapu, says that he made "a physical visit to the school and made an inquiry about the case on December 10." Tapu also highlighted that the school was running without proper registration or affiliation with any of the government boards.
Parents of children react to incident
Speaking to The Quint, the parent of one of the victim students said, "My son is adamant about not going back to school. He fears he will be beaten up badly again by another teacher there." Another parent, whose nine-year-old daughter was also beaten up, claimed that Devkriti "assaulted her daughter" so brutally that she was not able to move her hand at all. "My daughter is so scarred by this incident that she can't even sleep due to nightmares."
Corporal punishment is banned in schools in India
Corporal punishment is banned in schools, daycares, and alternative childcare facilities in India. The National Policy for Children, 2013, states that in education, the state shall "ensure no child is subjected to any physical punishment or mental harassment" and "promote positive engagement to impart discipline so as to provide children with a good learning experience." The Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 (RTE Act) also prohibits corporal punishment.
