Betul- In a government school in the Betul district of Madhya Pradesh, a teacher allegedly assaulted a 9-year-old girl for her inability to read an English book. The incident took place on December 15th at Khedli Bazaar Primary School in the Amla block.

The victim's father filed a complaint during a public hearing at the collector's office last Tuesday, stating that approximately 2 weeks ago, the teacher, Purnima Sahu, instructed the girl to read an English book. When the girl struggled, the teacher reportedly pulled her hair, resulting in the uprooting of the girl's hair. The father claims that the girl was further subjected to physical beating.

According to the father, another student who witnessed the incident confirmed that the teacher initially pulled the girl's hair and then proceeded to slap her. When objections were raised, the school staff allegedly sought a compromise. Villagers informed the family about the public hearing, prompting them to file a complaint. However, the accused teacher, Purnima Sahu, denies any wrongdoing and asserts that she did not harm any child.

Officials have described the teacher's actions as inhuman, and Sanjeev Srivastava, DPC of Jan Shiksha Kendra, mentioned that they have spoken to the girl, who recounted the assault. Speaking to The Mooknayak, Srivastava said that an investigative team has been formed, and appropriate action will be taken following the inquiry.

In light of this incident, officials emphasized that teachers are prohibited from physically punishing or assaulting children in schools. Any mistreatment, including using a scale to beat or harass students, can lead to legal consequences under the Juvenile Justice Act. If proven guilty, a teacher may face imprisonment for up to three months, and the institution could be fined Rs 1 lakh.

The Mooknayak also spoke to Madhya Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MPSCPCR), represented by Omkar Singh, who expressed awareness of the situation and announced plans to request an investigation report from the District Education Officer. He said, " Under the Juvenile Justice Act-2015, physical and mental torture of children by teachers falls under criminal activity. The Commission will recommend appropriate action against the accused teacher based on the investigation."

The Juvenile Justice Act-2015, implemented by the Central Government eight years ago, contains provisions for handling cases of assault by teachers. Section 82 stipulates a fine of Rs 10,000 for teachers found guilty of corporal punishment, with a provision for three months' imprisonment upon a second conviction. Dismissal of the concerned teacher is mandatory under Section 82(2), and Section 82(3) outlines three months' punishment for teachers and employees who fail to cooperate in investigations. Non-compliance may result in a fine of one lakh for the organization involved.

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