Parents of a Plus Two student in Gudiyattam on Monday submitted a petition to the district administration alleging that the police department had failed to take appropriate action against the school headmistress who caned their son.
Pratap Singh, in his petition, said his son Karuna Singh (17) is studying in Computer Science group in St John’s Matriculation Higher Secondary School. Last Wednesday, HM Jayakodi had asked the students to write a self-assessment report. Karuna, however, was not interested in writing the assignment but his classmates finished it and submitted it to the teacher. Angered over this, the HM took Karuna to her room and made him kneel down and beat him using a reaper wood, claimed the father.
Pratap Singh said despite complaining the police had failed to take appropriate action against the HM. Police registered a case under 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) of IPC but did not arrest the HM till date.
Jayakodi said Karuna was a problematic student ever since he had joined the school. He had been warned for his misbehaviour and disobedience. “Last Tuesday he lit match sticks and threw it on his maths teacher in the class. She brought the issue to my notice. I inquired five students in the class about the incident,” the HM said. The students were asked to give a self-assessment report in writing and their problems in studies. “Except Karuna, all his classmates submitted the report. Despite asking him repeatedly to submit the report, he refused do so. I warned him but did not beat him,” she said and added that she had even told the teachers not to beat any student. Karuna’s parents were foisting a false case against her, she said.