19 January,2017 07:30 AM IST | | Pallavi Smart
A teacher in Thane's Gyanodaya Vidya Mandir beat a seven-year-old girl so mercilessly over late fees while pulling her hair, that she has developed a gaping bald spot
Prachi's hair was so mercilessly pulled that she ended up with a bald patch
Corporal punishment may be outlawed, but young students are subjected to instances of abject cruelty at regular intervals. In another horrific episode, a teacher in Thane's Gyanodaya Vidya Mandir beat a seven-year-old so mercilessly while pulling her hair that she has developed a gaping bald spot.
Also read: Teacher punishes 9-year-old girl by smearing glue all over her face
Even as the parents have learnt to their horror that the reason their daughter, Prachi Gupta, was subjected to this dastardly treatment was merely a delay in fee payment, the school has now issued a showcause notice to the teacher.
Family aghast
The incident occurred on Tuesday when the teacher wanted to make a note in Prachi's school diary about the late fees and learnt that she had forgotten to carry it along. Prachi, a resident of Wagale Estate, has been studying in the school since kindergarten. Recalling the dreaded day, her father, Akhilesh Gupta says, "When she came home after school that day, she was not eating anything and was completely quiet. It was only after I returned that she started opening up and showed me her head where we saw a bald patch of around 2-3inches. She then told us that her class teacher had beat her up holding her hair so mercilessly that it came out altogether. And all this, because I was late in payment of fees."
"The first thing I did on Wednesday," says the 30-year-old Akhilesh, who runs a small photo studio nearby, "was to go to the school and demand an explanation."
The principal told me that they would take action against the teacher. I also paid the fees right at the spot. Since then, I have been busy in ensuring that my daughter is medically fit. So we went to a doctor and also did a precautionary CT scan".
Inhuman behaviour
Gupta, who was almost in tears that his daughter was subjected to this monstrosity because of Rs 3,000 - since he was behind payments for six months - said, "I would never be able to forgive myself if anything happens to Prachi. This is completely inhuman behaviour against any child. The school may take action against the teacher, Shobha Nair, but I will take this up further to ensure that such a teacher does not get a job elsewhere too."
School says
When contacted, Arya Tiwari, secretary of the Gyanoday Shikshan Prasarak Samiti, said, "It has been told to teachers many a times that no child should be touched. Yet, such an incident seems to have occurred."
Also read: Teacher orders child to drink urine; probe ordered
"Now, the teacher is denying the incident, but after finding out about it, we immediately issued a showcause notice to the teacher. If her response is not satisfactory, then we will take further action."
