The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) questioned the principal and four teachers of a renowned city-based school on Thursday in connection with the suicide of a student, allegedly due to corporal punishment.
The boy, studying in Class VIII, committed suicide in February. His father had filed a complaint with the police against the five staff members.
Pointing out that the “circumstance under which the death took place was mysterious,” NCPCR team member B.K. Sahu told The Hindu that the commission would corroborate the statements given by the school authorities as well as the boy's family and friends before making further recommendations.
“We have questioned in detail both the parties based on the allegations reported and will have to corroborate the evidence. It is not a clear-cut case. We hope to submit our recommendations and observations to the NCPCR chairman in the next couple of days,” Mr. Sahu said.
He added that the school authorities and the five accused were “quite cooperative” during the questioning.
The boy's father had alleged in his complaint that he came to know from his son's diaries and notes that he was very often verbally tortured by his teachers. He also claimed that the school principal had admitted to him that he had caned the boy for mischievous conduct four days before he committed suicide.
Mr. Sahu expressed the hope that the State government and the school authorities would follow the recommendations made by the NCPCR since the issue involved young students and demanded a “long-term intervention.”
