COIMBATORE: The District Child Protection Committee (DCPO) launched an enquiry on Monday after a parent lodged a complaint with the Childline and the police alleging that a math teacher at a private matriculation school assaulted their son with stick for poor performance in the subject.
An officer from the DCPO inquired with the student, who is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the city for injuries to both legs allegedly inflicted by a teacher.
C Manickaraj, father of the student from Kallipalayam near SS Kulam on the city's outskirts, told TNIE that his son is a Class 10 student at a private matriculation school in Peelamedu, where he stays in the hostel.
"On March 1, the mathematics teacher took him to the school's sick room and brutally thrashed him with a stick for not studying well in her subject. He sustained bleeding injuries on both legs.
The teacher threatened him to not tell anyone about it. Since then, he has been feeling tired, and pus began draining from the leg injuries in the next few days. Despite this, he attended his Class 10 first exam in Tamil on March 11, suffering from vomiting and diarrhea. Although, he wrote the exam in poor condition, the school management later admitted him to a private hospital and informed me," he said.
He added that they were unaware of the matter until the school management called them. When they reached the hospital, their son was unconscious due to fever, low blood pressure, and leg injuries.
"We shifted him to another hospital on March 11 and admitted him to the ICU. On March 12, the doctor operated on his legs due to pus formation.
He remained unconscious from the treatment until Sunday morning. We learned these details only after he regained consciousness in the hospital," he said.
To seek legal action, he lodged a complaint against the school for thrashing his son and concealing the matter. He said the school management had spoiled his Class 10 studies by preventing him from writing the exam. When he contacted the school, the authorities gave false information, claiming that he had fallen on the floor.
A DCPO officer told TNIE that they have confirmed the assault on the student and an inquiry will be initiated with the school administration. When contacted, a school authority denied the parents' allegations. He said that on March 7, while the student was playing in the hostel, he sustained injuries in legs after hitting a desk.
"Later, he applied ointment to the injuries, but pus formed. We learned about this later and informed the parents. During the exam on March 11, he vomited and developed a fever. After he completed the exam, we took him to the hospital. We informed the parents," he said.