Odisha govt school teacher suspended after thrashing students for not touching her feet

NEW DELHI: The Odisha Education Department has suspended a woman teacher after she was found guilty of corporal punishment at a state-run upper primary school in Mayurbhanj district, officials said on Monday.The incident occurred at Khandadeula Government Upper Primary School under the jurisdiction of Baisinga police station on Thursday. Assistant teacher Sukanti Kar allegedly beat 31 students from classes 6, 7, and 8 with a bamboo stick for not touching her feet after the morning prayer session, officials said. Officials stated that students usually show respect to teachers by touching their feet immediately after prayers. However, on Thursday, they failed to do so as Kar arrived after the session had ended. Annoyed by this, she reportedly thrashed the students, resulting in injury marks on many students’ hands and backs. One boy suffered a fractured hand, while a girl lost consciousness and had to be taken to a hospital, the school management committee said after an inquiry. Following the incident, headmaster Purnachandra Ojha, Block Education Officer (BEO) Biplab Kar, Cluster Resource Centre Coordinator Debashish Sahu, and members of the school management committee conducted an inquiry and found the teacher guilty. “The accused teacher was placed under suspension on Saturday,” said Biplab Kar, adding that strict action was taken as the matter was treated with utmost seriousness. The Odisha government has prohibited corporal punishment in all educational institutions since September 2004.