KOCHI: A headmistress who was booked for punishing a few class IV students, after they allegedly spat on the food that was to be served during the school’s Onam fete, got a reprieve from the sessions court.
Observing that the action of Ida Lopez, 52, the headmistress of Anglo Indian School, Vadakkekara, was aimed at correcting the students, Sessions judge Honey M Varghese granted her pre-arrest bail in the case registered by Vadakkekara police on a parent’s complaint.
“She is duty bound to interfere with the mischievous act of students. Indian culture considers teachers equivalent to parents. Teachers have every right to correct students for their mistakes and mischievous acts,” said the judge. Ida, a native of Arippalam in Thrissur, had been booked for wrongful restraint, causing hurt and assaulting class 4 students studying in different sections.
The police said the incident took place during Onam celebrations at the school on September 2. After getting word that three students of class 4 were standing on the first floor of the school building and allegedly spitting on the food kept in the ground floor, Ida went to the spot and caught the students, said the police.
They said Ida scolded the students and hit them before informing the respective class teachers. In the evening, one of the parents called her up and allegedly abused her for scolding the students. The parent also lodged a complaint based on which the police registered the case, said officers.
Though the police opposed her anticipatory bail in court citing a previous case registered at Kattoor police station in 2014 for causing hurt to a student, the court refused to consider it as a reason to deny her bail.
The police claimed that Ida beat the students over a false charge and used abusive words. She also made the students stand outside, exposing them to the sun and heat. However, the judge said the mere intervention by a teacher to correct students could not be considered cruelty to the child.