A teacher of a government secondary school at a village here was arrested for allegedly beating up a student after the 11-year-old Dalit boy “touched the plates kept for non-Dalit students”.
The incident took place in Berdon ka Bas village in Osian block here on Thursday when the teacher, Hemaram Jat, who was also the in charge of mid-day meal in the school, thrashed Class IV student Dinesh Meghwal for touching the plates meant for non-Dalit students on Thursday, police said.
The boy’s father, Malaram, said that when he saw his son coming home crying, he enquired and was told about the incident and alleged that when he personally saw the teacher with the complaint he abused him.
The police, however, arrested the teacher on Saturday evening following a complaint by the victim’s father.
“We visited the spot and recorded the statements of the students and other persons as witnesses in the incident and found the allegations to be true prima facie, after which we arrested Hemaram,” a senior police official said.
The child had taken ill after the incident and was admitted to the village’s community health centre from where he was referred to the government-run Umaid hospital in Jodhpur after his condition worsened, Malaram said.
Out of danger
According to the doctors, Dinesh is out of danger and is recovering.
Meanwhile, the Education Department on Sunday suspended the accused teacher and ordered an enquiry into the incident.
Deputy Director (Secondary Education) Nutan Bala, while confirming his suspension, said that the teacher has been ordered to report to the head office in Jodhpur.
“A departmental enquiry would also be initiated against him,” she said. -PTI
