Nine-year-old dies after being punished in school

Karimnagar: A nine-year-old girl, studying in Class V at a private high school in Huzurabad, died on Thursday while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Warangal. It has been alleged that she developed complications as she was made to kneel for a long time by her teacher a week back for not doing her homework.

Following her death, Kolipaka Ashritha’s parents and student organisations staged a dharna in front of the school. Members of the organisations also damaged furniture and vehicles of the institution, holding the management responsible for her death. The teacher who had punished Ashritha and the school management have been booked for their role in her death.

Ashritha’s parents and the police said that she succumbed to internal injuries caused by the punishment.  She was a student of Huzurabad’s Vivekavardhini Model High School.

“Ashritha’s nerves were damaged and she had high fever after she was made to kneel for many hours. Her blood clotted in various parts of her body following the punishment,” said a police official.

Her friends, under condition of anonymity, said that on July 16, the teacher had ordered Ashritha to kneel against the wall for about 30 minutes for failing to do homework and for not answering questions.

The school’s management and teacher Kala, was not available to give their versions.

Based on a complaint by the parents, the police registered a case against Ms Kala and the management of the school under Section 304 part II of the Indian Penal Code and took up investigations. A post-mortem will be conducted on Friday.

Initially, the girl’s parents had consulted a neuro physician at a local hospital after she complained of severe knee pain. Later, they approached a homeopathic clinic in Warangal as she did not show any improvement. She was later shifted to MGM hospital as her condition deteriorated on July 21. She died there while undergoing treatment.