RANCHI: Ten students of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Benagodia, Dhanbad, have been suspended after a Class 10 student was allegedly assaulted by senior students, who beat him with belts, rubbed salt into his wounds and circulated a video of the incident, officials said.
The alleged assault took place at around 1.30 am on Monday but came to light only on Thursday after the victim informed his parents.
On Friday, parents and local residents staged a protest outside the school, demanding strict action against those responsible. The victim, who hails from Nagarkiyari in Barwadda, enrolled at the school earlier this year.
Police said they had begun an investigation and assured strict action against those involved.
"The matter is quite serious. Orders have been issued to record the victim's statement. Action will be taken against the accused in accordance with the complaint. The school administration will also be questioned in this regard," Nirsa SDPO Lileshwar Mahto said.
According to the complaint, five senior students and some classmates held the 16-year-old hostage following a dispute over money.
They allegedly forced him to undress, tied his hands and feet with a rope, beat him with belts and made him perform push-ups.
The accused also allegedly rubbed salt into the victim's wounds, recorded the assault on a mobile phone and later circulated the video among themselves. The assault was captured in an 8-minute-46-second video.
The footage purportedly shows the victim wearing only his underwear while being surrounded by the accused students, four of whom appear to be holding belts.
The video allegedly shows the victim being repeatedly beaten as he lies face down on the floor. He is later made to sit up, given water and ordered to perform push-ups before salt is rubbed into his wounds.
According to the complaint, the student sustained more than 40 injury marks on his back and thighs, including a deep laceration across his back.
The victim remained silent for two days out of fear. However, after his condition deteriorated on Wednesday, he informed his family and was admitted to Shaheed Nirmal Medical College and Hospital (SNMMCH), where he is undergoing treatment.
Police later entered the school and seized a mobile phone believed to have been used to record the incident. The victim's statement was recorded at the hospital on Thursday.
According to the victim, the accused first tied his hands and forced him to use his thumbprint to transfer money through a mobile phone.
They allegedly assaulted him from 1.30 am until 5 am, recorded several videos and threatened to kill him if he informed the school authorities or his family. The accused also allegedly assigned another student to keep watch over the victim to prevent him from seeking help.
However, when an opportunity arose, he managed to use a classmate's mobile phone to inform his father, who alerted the school authorities.
The school's acting principal, CK Yadav, said the accused students had been suspended pending an inquiry. He added that a committee would be constituted to investigate the incident and recommend measures to prevent such cases in future.