Gujarat School Principal, Trustee Accused of Beating 13-Year-Old Student Over Alleged Exam Paper Incident

 

A shocking case of alleged school corporal punishment has emerged from Gujarat's Aravalli district, where a 13-year-old Class 8 student was allegedly assaulted by the principal and a school trustee of a residential school after they accused him of looking at an internal examination paper. The incident has sparked concern over student safety and disciplinary practices in educational institutions.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the student was allegedly slapped repeatedly and beaten with a plastic pipe by the principal and trustee after they claimed he had viewed an internal examination question paper before the test. The child remains hospitalized with multiple injuries.

Child Allegedly Confined and Assaulted for Over Two Hours

The student's father alleged that his son was confined inside a room for nearly two-and-a-half hours, during which he was physically assaulted and denied drinking water.

"My son was confined to a room and tortured for nearly two and a half hours. He was not allowed to drink water," the father said. He added that the child is suffering from severe body pain and swelling in his ears and is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital.

The family also expressed concern over mounting medical expenses, stating that financial constraints may force them to shift the child to a government hospital for continued treatment.

Parents Allege Threats From School Authorities

According to the complaint, the incident came to light on July 18, when the school trustee called the student's father, a resident of Mahisagar district, informing him that disciplinary action would be taken against his son for allegedly viewing the examination paper.

When the parents reached the residential school, they reportedly found their son outside the trustee's office. The child allegedly broke down and told them that he had been beaten by the principal and trustee.

The parents sought an explanation from the school authorities but claimed they did not receive a satisfactory response. Instead, they alleged that the officials asked them to take the child away and threatened to expel him from the school.

Shortly afterward, the boy complained of dizziness, prompting his parents to contact emergency medical services. He was initially taken to Modasa Civil Hospital, where doctors reportedly classified the matter as a medico-legal case before he was later shifted to a private hospital for further treatment.

FIR Registered Under Juvenile Justice Act

Following the father's complaint, Modasa Rural Police registered an FIR against the principal and trustee.

Police have invoked provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) relating to voluntarily causing hurt, along with relevant sections of the Juvenile Justice Act, considering the alleged assault on a minor.

The student's family has alleged that police have not acted promptly and claimed that neither of the accused had been arrested at the time of filing the complaint.

Growing Concerns Over Student Safety

The incident has once again raised questions about the use of physical punishment in schools and the need for stronger safeguards to protect children from abuse within educational institutions.

Police are continuing their investigation into the allegations, while the child's medical condition remains under observation. Authorities are expected to record statements from the student, his parents, and school staff as part of the ongoing inquiry.