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Children beaten up, kicked in Amritsar school
Our Correspondent

Amritsar, August 5
A case of corporal punishment by a teacher has come to light. Nearly 60 minor children studying in VIII standard of Government Senior Secondary School at Chheharta, were allegedly severely beaten up by the drawing teacher with a stick. They were kicked and abused for not brining some geometry box instruments in his class. The beating allegedly was so severe that seven children got contusions and marks of the beating when The Tribune team reached the school.

Parents of these children lodged a protest against the teacher to principal of school Mr Sarbjit Singh. Taking serious note of the teacher’s action the principal gave a written complaint about it to the District Education Officer for action against the erring teacher.

Ram Singh (13) cried with pain as he lifted his shirt to show marks of beating. He cried that he plys an autorickshaw after school to meet his school and household expenses and could not buy the geometry instruments then, as he was awaiting his scholarship to make the purchase.

The teacher, however, said that all boys in the school here were too naughty and made flimsy excuses to irritate the teachers. He defended himself and said that the principal demanded discipline and to enforce this he was forced to teach a lesson to erring students who tried to spoil the class atmosphere by creating a ruckus. However students complained that earlier too the teacher made use of stick on them for small reasons.

The principal revealed that last year too the same teacher had beaten up two school students but he was let off with a strong warning. However this time the parents have collectively taken a strong stand. Besides Ram Singh the complaint was signed by the severely beaten up seven children against the drawing teacher.