14-yr-old student dies after ‘assault’ by school teacher

Dibrugarh: Tension gripped Philobari in Tinsukia district on Saturday following the death of a 14-year-old student who allegedly succumbed to injuries after being beaten by a teacher at Sankardev Sishu Niketan school.Utpal Taye, a Class VIII student, was allegedly assaulted by teacher Sanjeev Sharma on Feb 5 during school hours. The incident, reportedly over a minor matter, left the student injured. The school management immediately admitted Utpal to Assam Medical College & Hospital (AMCH) in Dibrugarh, but despite medical intervention, he died late Friday night.As news of Utpal’s death spread through the community, angry local residents and parents gathered at the school gates on Saturday morning, staging protests. Demonstrators burnt tyres and raised slogans demanding swift justice for the deceased student and punishment for the accused teacher.Members of various local organisations joined the demonstrations at Philobari Tiniali, calling not only for action against Sharma but also for a thorough inquiry into the role of the school management in the incident.Serious allegations have emerged against the school administration, with protesters claiming that efforts were made to suppress the matter and avoid public scrutiny.“We want justice for Utpal. How can a teacher beat a child so brutally that he dies? This is murder, not discipline. The school tried to hide what happened. They didn’t inform parents immediately and tried to handle it quietly,” said one protesting parent at the school gate.Utpal, son of Ganesh Taye from Kopahtoli village in the Amguri area of Sivasagar district, had been studying at Sankardev Sishu Niketan since Class I and was residing in the school hostel.Tinsukia senior superintendent of police (SSP) Mayank Kumar confirmed the arrest of the accused teacher. “A case has been registered against teacher Sanjeev Sharma, and he has been arrested. We have launched a detailed investigation into the incident,” the SSP said.