Rewa (MP), Dec 23: An incident of alleged corporal punishment at a private school in Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa district has triggered widespread outrage after an 11 year old student was reportedly assaulted by a teacher for not completing homework leaving the child injured and traumatised.
The incident occurred on Saturday evening, December 20, at Gentle Shepherd Higher Secondary School where the teacher identified by the family as Manisha Vishwakarma allegedly hit the child on the head with a steel water bottle and repeatedly slammed him against a wall. The boy reportedly returned home bleeding and in a state of shock.
According to the family, the school management neither provided medical treatment nor informed them about the assault. The situation worsened when the child’s sister who studies in the same school attempted to intervene and was also allegedly assaulted by the teacher.
The family has accused the school authorities of trying to suppress the matter from the evening of the incident and claimed that pressure was exerted on them not to file a police complaint. The child is currently under medical treatment and is said to be suffering from severe psychological distress, including high fever refusal to eat or drink, and fear at the mention of school.
Expressing anguish the victim’s father Pushpendra Pandey said the punishment was grossly disproportionate. “I work extremely hard and pay school fees beyond my capacity. Does that mean my child’s head can be cracked open?” he asked, adding that his son was beaten “just because one or two chapters were incomplete”.
The incident has drawn sharp reactions from student groups. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) issued a three day ultimatum demanding strict action against those responsible. ABVP district convenor P.N. Pandey warned, “If strict action is not taken within three days, we will launch an aggressive protest,” saying such cases raise serious concerns about child safety in Rewa.
The District Education Officer (DEO), Ramraj Mishra, confirmed that a complaint has been received and an inquiry ordered. “Instructions have been issued to investigate the matter. If negligence or misconduct by the teacher or school management is found, strict action will be taken as per rules,” he said.
Police, meanwhile, have begun examining the case. Rewa SDOP (Sirmour) Umesh Prajapati said the child’s father initially hesitated to pursue the complaint but later approached authorities again. “I have instructed the police station in-charge to get the CCTV footage of the school premises checked. Further course of action will be decided after examining the footage,” he said.
The case has reignited debate over corporal punishment and student safety in private schools, with demands growing for stricter enforcement of child protection norms and accountability of school managements.
