Outrage in India over death of six-year-old ‘slapped’ by his teacher

Authorities in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh have initiated an investigation following the death of a six-year-old boy who reportedly collapsed after being slapped by his teacher in a school classroom. The incident, recorded on a security camera and shared widely by local media, has sparked outrage over the use of corporal punishment in Indian schools. The video, verified by Al Jazeera, shows a female teacher grabbing the child by his clothes and striking him on the face before he collapses. The footage was posted online on Thursday and quickly gained attention across social media platforms. The child, identified locally as Pranay Tej, died shortly after the incident. His father told NDTV that his son had appeared healthy in the morning before heading to school. “In the morning around 8am, my son woke up and said he wanted to go to school. He insisted on going to school,” he said. Nara Lokesh, the Andhra Pradesh minister for education and IT, responded swiftly to the incident. On Facebook, he stated that legal action would be taken against those responsible, including the school management. Later, on X, he expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, calling for an end to corporal punishment in schools. “No child should ever be subjected to violence in the name of discipline,” he wrote. Lokesh also confirmed that a full investigation had been ordered and that strict measures would follow if wrongdoing was found. Police authorities, led by Inspector Pudi Vara Prasad, have registered a case under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Sarkar Act (BNSS) following a written complaint from Pranay’s father. The body was handed over to the parents after completing the necessary inquest and post-mortem procedures. Prasad noted that the exact cause of death would be determined once all relevant medical reports were reviewed. Local relatives of the child gathered at the hospital after learning of his death and demanded immediate accountability. According to NDTV India, they called for strict action against those responsible for the incident. Meanwhile, political figures have weighed in on the situation. Palla Srinivasa Rao, the Andhra Pradesh state president of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), praised the government’s response. “Our IT and Education Minister, Nara Lokesh Garu, has already formed a committee, and based on the committee’s report, we will definitely take action,” he said. A 2018 study conducted by the Indian NGO Agrasar revealed that approximately 80 percent of low-income schoolchildren in the country experience corporal punishment from teachers, even though such practices are legally prohibited. This statistic underscores the ongoing challenge of enforcing anti-corporal-punishment laws in Indian educational institutions. The incident has reignited national debates about the role of physical punishment in classrooms and the broader implications for child welfare. With public outcry growing, officials are under pressure to ensure that such cases are thoroughly investigated and that appropriate legal consequences are enforced. As the investigation continues, the focus remains on determining the full extent of responsibility and ensuring that similar incidents do not occur in the future.