Govt school teacher flogs, kicks student for skipping class, held

Chennai: A government school teacher who meted out corporal punishment to a class 12 student, for skipping classes, was arrested and remanded, police said on Saturday.

A video of the teacher flogging the student and repeatedly kicking him went viral on social media. The video showed the teacher holding the boy’s hair and thrashing and kicking him in front of his classmates, one of whom reportedly took the video without the teacher’s knowledge. The student, who was pinned to the floor on his knees, can be seen pleading and sobbing. The 56-year-old teacher was arrested on Friday and remanded.

Confirming the arrest of the teacher Subramaniam, a senior police official told PTI that cases under sections 294 (obscene act), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), Juvenile Justice Act and Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have been booked against the Physics teacher. “He was arrested following a complaint by the 17-year-old affected student of the Government Nandanar Boys Higher Secondary School in Chidambaram. Further investigation is on,” the official added.

The student sustained injuries and has been admitted to the government hospital.

Police said the teacher went overboard as the student had skipped classes.

Schools across the State re-opened on September 1, for ninth, tenth, plus one and plus two classes, after they were closed due to Coronavirus.