Hans News Service

Visakhapatnam: In a tragic incident at a private school in Visakhapatnam, a six-year-old child died after a teacher hit him for not completing his homework.

The child, Tammana Pranay Tej, looked visibly scared while the teacher reprimanded and slapped him. Footage from a CCTV recording of the incident drew public ire and sparked a serious debate about the prevalence of corporal punishment despite its ban, apparently due to laxity in enforcement.

Soon after the teacher hit the LKG student, the boy collapsed in the classroom. When the child was rushed to the King George Hospital, doctors there declared him brought dead. Parents of Pranay Tej reached the hospital and demanded justice for their child. They expressed concern over the death of the boy who was quite healthy before leaving for the school. They blamed the teacher for the boy’s death. “The boy was very healthy. As we went on a pilgrimage, Pranay Tej could not complete his homework,” Pranay Tej’s father informed. The body of the boy has been sent for a post-mortem. Responding to the tragic incident, HRD and IT Minister Nara Lokesh assured the government's support to Pranay Tej’s family. He mentioned that strict action will be taken against the teacher and the school management.

For context, Section 17 of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009 bans physical punishment and mental harassment of children in schools, making it a punishable offense for teachers.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights strictly prohibit physical punishment in affiliated schools. The Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 outlaws cruelty to children in institutional care and alternative care settings.