ALBAWABA — Outrage erupted after the family of a six-year-old kindergarten boy in India said he fainted in class after being physically punished by a teacher.
The boy was recognized as Pranay Teja, a student at a private school in Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. His relatives told us he went home Thursday morning in good health and good spirits but then received an urgent call that his situation had drastically worsened.
The physicians confirmed the boy was dead when they arrived at King George Hospital.
According to CCTV footage from the school, the instructor was seen fiercely scolding Pranay and reportedly hitting him with a stick for unfinished schoolwork, Pranay’s father told CCTV. The family said the youngster became quite afraid before he fell unconscious inside the classroom.
Police Inspector Budi Vara Prasad said the preliminary information revealed that the child fainted after being reprimanded by the teacher. A criminal prosecution has been opened on the complaint of the family. Meanwhile, the authorities have ordered a post-mortem examination to establish the exact cause of the death.
Social Media Goes Nuts
The event soon went viral on Indian social media with users demanding accountability from both the teacher and the school management.
Several critics claimed the case shows the hazards of harsh punishment and undue pressure on young kids. Some internet discussions speculate that the youngster may have had a heart attack from extreme fear and stress, although the cause of death has not yet been confirmed by officials.
There were also calls for stronger measures against schools that continue to utilize physical punishment despite legal prohibitions.
Orders of Government Question
Andhra Pradesh government has reacted officially on the incident.
Ruling Telugu Desam Party senior leader Bala Srinivasa Rao stated the state Education Minister Nara Lokesh had constituted an investigative committee to probe the circumstances leading to the death of the youngster.
Further action would be taken depending on the findings of the committee and the results of the medical check, the authorities stated.
The tragedy has also reopened wider questions about corporal punishment in Indian institutions. Past research has shown that physical discipline continues to be widespread in some sections of the country even when it is forbidden.
An investigation into the boy's death is ongoing but his death has prompted renewed calls for tougher safety measures to ensure classrooms are safe places for youngsters.
