The Odisha Education Department has suspended a female teacher after she was found guilty of corporal punishment at a state-run upper primary school in the Mayurbhanj district, officials confirmed on Monday.
The incident took place last Thursday at Khandadeula government upper primary school, located within the Baisinga police station limits. Assistant teacher Sukanti Kar allegedly beat 31 students from classes 6, 7, and 8 with a bamboo stick because they had not touched her feet after the morning prayer session.
According to officials, students usually show their respect to teachers by touching their feet immediately after prayers, but on this occasion, they were unable to do so as Kar arrived after the session had finished. Annoyed, she allegedly thrashed the students, leaving many with injury marks on their hands and backs. One boy reportedly suffered a fractured hand, and a girl fainted and had to be taken to hospital, according to the school management committee's inquiry.
Following the incident, headmaster Purnachandra Ojha, Block Education Officer (BEO) Biplab Kar, Cluster Resource Centre Coordinator Debashish Sahu, and members of the school management committee investigated the matter and found the teacher guilty. "The accused teacher was placed under suspension on Saturday," said Biplab Kar, adding that action was taken because the matter was treated with the utmost seriousness.
The Odisha government has had a ban on corporal punishment in all educational institutions since September 2004.
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