NHRC notice to Delhi Chief Secretary over corporal punishment (25.08.2015)



New Delhi, 25th August, 2015

The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that a guest teacher in a government run Sarvodaya Vidyalaya in Shalimar Bagh, Delhi got so annoyed with an eight year old class 3 student for refusing to massage his legs that he picked him up and threw on the ground leading to a fracture in his leg on the 3rd August, 2015. Allegedly, the teacher beats all the boys a lot. He harasses them, hits them with bottles, places pens between their fingers and presses them.

The Commission has observed that the incident, if true, raises serious questions of violation of human rights of the young school going children. A notice has been issued to the Chief Secretary, Government of NCT Delhi, calling for a detailed report in the matter within four weeks.

Reportedly, in spite of being unable to move, the teacher forced the injured boy to walk. When his parents tried to approach the Principal of the School in the BT block, he tried to hush up the matter.

The media report also mentions the Supreme Court's directions to ensure that children are not subjected to corporal punishment in schools and receive education in an environment of freedom and dignity, free from fear.

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