Outrage in India over death of six-year-old ‘slapped’ by his teacher

Authorities in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh have introduced an investigation after a six-year-old child collapsed and reportedly died after he was slapped by his teacher in a school classroom.

Key points

• A 2018 study by the Indian NGO Agrasar discovered that roughly 80 percent of low-income school children in India experience corporal punishment from teachers, despite it being officially illegal.
• "We are taking legal action against those responsible and the school management, " Nara Lokesh, Andhra Pradesh's education and IT minister, wrote on Facebook on Thursday.
• "Our IT and Education Minister, Nara Lokesh Garu, has already formed a committee, and based on the committee's report, we will definitely take action, " he remarked.
• The incident was captured on a security camera in the school in Visakhapatnam in the southeast Indian state, before being shared widely by local media on Thursday.
• As a father, I can't obtain over what happened to little Pranay Tej.

Meanwhile, the incident was captured on a security camera in the school in Visakhapatnam in the southeast Indian state, before being shared widely by local media on Thursday. The incident is already causing an uproar around corporal punishment in the country.

After which he collapses, the video clip, which has been verified by Al Jazeera, demonstrates a female teacher holding a child by his clothes before slapping him on the face.

Police are additionally investigating the circumstances around the death of the child. This person local media have named as Pranay Tej.

"As a father, I can't obtain over what happened to little Pranay Tej. I cannot imagine the pain his parents are going through. Corporal punishment has no place in our schools. No child should ever be subjected to violence in the name of discipline, " Lokesh wrote on X on Friday.

"I have already directed a full investigation and strict action against anyone discovered responsible. My heart goes out to Pranay's family in this moment of unimaginable grief."

Relatives gathered at the hospital after learning regarding the boy's death and demanded strict action against those responsible, according to NDTV India.

Pranay Tej's father remarked his son appeared healthy in the morning before going to school. "In the morning around 8am, my son woke up and remarked he wanted to go to school. He insisted on going to school, " he informed NDTV.

Police Inspector Pudi Vara Prasad informed Press Trust of India: "Following a written complaint from the boy's father, we have registered a case under Section 194 of the BNSS and launched an investigation."

Prasad remarked the body was handed over to his parents after police "completed the inquest and post-mortem procedures".

He continued that "once all relevant reports are received, we will determine the exact cause of death".

Meanwhile, a 2018 study by the Indian NGO Agrasar discovered that roughly 80 percent of low-income school children in India experience corporal punishment from teachers, despite it being officially illegal.

Palla Srinivasa Rao, Andhra Pradesh state president of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), informed Press Trust of India that "the government has reacted appropriately" in the aftermath of the incident.

For now, outrage in India over death of six-year remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.