6-Year-Old Student Dies After One Slap from Teacher Over Homework; CCTV Under Probe

In a heartbreaking incident, a six-year-old LKG student died after collapsing at a private school in Visakhapatnam on Thursday, August 20. As per the family and viral video, the teacher slapped him over incomplete homework and due to some reason, the child ended up dying. The child, identified as Pranay Teja, was taken to King George Hospital, where he was declared dead. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death using CCTV footage that shows the teacher scolding and slapping the child before he collapses. 

What happened to the 6-year-old student in Visakhapatnam?

Pranay was a student at Little Garden School in the One Town area of Visakhapatnam. His family alleged that a teacher reprimanded and slapped him for not completing his homework. CCTV footage from the classroom has gone viral online.

After Pranay collapsed, the school personnel took him to King George Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Police are investigating the incident, while the post-mortem examination is expected to help establish the medical cause of death.

Pranay's family said the boy was in good health when he left home for school on Thursday morning. His father reportedly said that there had been no indication of any health problem and that the child had been well the previous evening.

"He woke up around 8 am and said he wanted to go to school. Since exams were coming up, we let him go," the father told the media.

The family later received information that something had happened to him at school. The father shared how the school never called him to inform, and that local cooks working near a relative's place had to reach out to him to tell him of the dire incident. He said, "No one from the school informed me. We came to know through others".

However, the claim that the alleged assault caused Pranay's death should not be treated as an established medical finding until the investigation and post-mortem examination are complete.

Family protests after Visakhapatnam schoolboy's death

Pranay's family members and relatives protested at King George Hospital, demanding action against those responsible. The family has also raised questions about how the school handled the incident and communicated with them after the child collapsed.

The family has also alleged that physical punishment was not the first incident at the school and said that other children had also been beaten, which should not happen. These allegations have not been independently established and are expected to be examined as part of the wider inquiry.

Andhra Pradesh government forms committee to investigate student's death

The Andhra Pradesh School Education Department has described the incident as extremely serious. Following a preliminary inquiry, authorities formed a three-member committee comprising the Regional Joint Director, District Education Officer and Revenue Divisional Officer to investigate the case.

Revenue Divisional Officer Dilip Chakravarthy also visited King George Hospital and said officials were collecting information about the incident. The government has indicated that further action will depend on the findings of the investigation.

The School Education Department has also said that teacher sensitisation programmes will be conducted, with emphasis on treating students with care, responsibility and humanity.

What is the cause of death in the Visakhapatnam school case?

The exact cause of Pranay Teja's death has not yet been officially established. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his collapse and death, while the post-mortem report is expected to provide important medical evidence.

Speculation about the cause of death should not be presented as fact until the authorities release their findings. The investigation is also examining the alleged assault, CCTV footage and other available evidence. However, blaming the teacher might not be wise, considering the fact that her intention (as per the CCTV) seemed to create fear of punishment. The video shows she slapped the kid but not as hard to have him dead in her arms. This is why assumptions should be kept aside and let the police do their job. 

Why has the Visakhapatnam school death raised concerns?

This case has brought back a lot of attention about corporal punishment, teachers’ conduct, and child safety in schools. The allegations are highly concerning, mostly because it involves a very young student, and that alone changes everything.

Right now, the teacher’s alleged conduct and the family’s allegations are under investigation. What the police manage to find, what the investigation committee ends up concluding, and what comes out of the post-mortem exam will help make things clearer about what really happened, and also whether any criminal or administrative measures are needed, at all.