Class 1 girl slapped by teacher in danger of losing vision

CHENNAI: V Manjari, aged 6 and studying in Class I, was running along the portals of the Madras high court, instead of attending classes at her school, Velammal Vidhyashram School at Surapet, here. One thing that kept bothering her was not the school bag, but a big bandage covering her left eye.
The child, accompanied by her father T Vijayakumar, mother and a sibling, was in the high court on Wednesday seeking registration of a criminal case against the school management and a drawing teacher who had slapped Manjari for 'poor drawing performance' on February 4.The same day, a classmate too hit her with a pencil. The drawing teacher did not notice the eye injury and ignored the pain even after Manjari had complained to her.
After she reached home that evening, Vijayakumar rushed to a hospital and since then she had undergone two surgeries for corneal tear repair and lens aspiration. Noting that the nerve system of the child on her left eye had been badly damaged, he said doctors had informed him that could hardly regain her original vision.
When Vijayakumar took up the matter with the school management, they offered to 'settle' the issue by paying Rs 30,000. As no action was being taken against the teacher as well, he lodged a complaint with the Puzhal police on February 8. He said that the police, instead of taking action against the suspects and register a criminal case, forced him out of the station.
He then filed a criminal original petition in the high court for a direction to the Puzhal police to register the complaint and investigate the matter.
When the matter came up for hearing before Justice N Kirubakaran on Wednesday, additional public prosecutor Maharajan informed the court that an FIR was registered by the Puzhal police on February 17. They have invoked offences punishable under Section 323 (causing hurt) and 337 (hurt by endangering the life or personal safety of others) IPC against the school authorities. Recording the statement, the judge then disposed of the petition.