A 13-year-old Class 8 student from Uttar Pradesh’s Hardoi district died at a private hospital in Farrukhabad on August 30, 10 days after she was beaten by a teacher at her school, police said. The incident took place on August 20 when the girl had gone to her school to appear for an examination.
The girl’s family has alleged that the teacher injured her after she approached him to complain about an incident involving a classmate during the exam. The police and education department are investigating the matter, while the post-mortem report is awaited.
Girl Allegedly Assaulted After Approaching Teacher
Kshama, a Class 8 student at Composite School in Sahuwapur under the Bharkhani development block, had gone to school for an examination on August
20.
According to a complaint filed by her father, Umesh Dixit, Kshama got into an argument with a classmate during the examination after she asked the student to show her paper. She then approached assistant teacher Rajendra Kumar Gangwar to complain about the incident.
The family has alleged that instead of addressing her complaint, Gangwar grabbed the girl’s arm and twisted it severely. Her father said she returned home with severe pain and swelling in her arm.
The family later took her to a local doctor in Shahabad, where she was reportedly diagnosed with internal tissue damage and blood clotting. Her father said doctors also indicated that treatment would be expensive.
Girl’s Condition Worsened During Treatment
Due to financial constraints, the family initially approached the police before admitting Kshama to Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Farrukhabad on August 26.
As her condition worsened, relatives advised the family to shift her to a private hospital. Her father said he took a loan to arrange the treatment, but despite efforts to save her, Kshama died on August 30.
The girl’s body was subsequently sent for a post-mortem examination in Farrukhabad. The report is awaited and is expected to help establish the cause of death and whether her injuries were linked to her deterioration.
FIR Registered Against Headmaster, Teacher
Additional Superintendent of Police (Hardoi) Subodh Gautam said an FIR was registered following the complaint filed by Kshama’s father.
The complaint names school headmaster Akshay Singh Yadav, class teacher Rajendra Gangwar and the teenage classmate. Police have registered a case under sections relating to culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Police said the circumstances surrounding the girl’s death are being investigated and further legal action will be taken based on the evidence.
Two Teachers Suspended
The Basic Education Department also initiated an inquiry following the incident. Basic Education Officer Prabhat Mishra said the department received a video purportedly showing the teacher beating Kshama.
According to Mishra, the video was examined and the department found that the teacher had beaten the student on August 20.
Following the incident, two teachers, including the accused teacher, were suspended pending inquiry. The suspended teachers were identified as school in-charge teacher Akshat and assistant teacher Rajendra Kumar Gangwar.
Block Education Officer Dr Sunil Singh also visited the school as part of the inquiry. Departmental action against the teachers is underway.
Family Seeks Further Investigation
Kshama’s father has sought strict action against the accused teacher and a fair investigation. He has also sought examination of the girl’s treatment records and statements from teachers and students who were present at the school.
He further alleged that after learning about the incident, he reached the school and was assured by the teacher that the girl would receive treatment. However, he claimed that the school did not subsequently enquire about her condition.
The police investigation and education department inquiry are underway. The post-mortem report is expected to help establish the cause of the girl’s death and determine whether the injuries sustained at school were linked to her fatal deterioration.
