BARIPADA: An assistant lady teacher of a school in Mayurbhanj district was placed under suspension on Saturday on charges of beating 31 students mercilessly for not touching her feet after morning prayers.
The accused is Sukanti Kar, an assistant teacher at Khandadeula government upper primary school under Pratimadeipur cluster in Betnoti block. The shocking incident took place on Friday.
Sources said after the morning assembly prayer, all the students went to their respective classrooms. Kar reportedly went to Classes 6, 7 and 8 and questioned some students why they had not touched her feet after the prayers. The students who had not touched her feet were mercilessly thrashed with a bamboo stick by the accused teacher. Sources said 31 students suffered injuries due to the severe beating.
When parents of the punished students came to know about the incident, they rushed to the school and demanded strict action against Kar. The injured students were taken to Betnoti hospital for treatment.
On being informed by headmaster Purnachandra Ojha, block education officer (BEO) Biplab Kar, CRCC Debashish Sahu and members of school management committee reached the school and conducted an inquiry. They met the injured students and recorded their statements.
Basing on the inquiry report, BEO Kar suspended the assistant teacher.