Beaten up by teacher, child succumbs to injuries

ALWAR: An 11-year-old student studying in class V of a government school in Deola village of Alwar district died on Tuesday, almost a week after he was allegedly beaten black and blue by his school teacher.
Tension prevailed after the news of the child's death reached the village. Protesting against the alleged corporal punishment by the teacher, the villagers blocked the Alwar-Tijara road and demanded a case of murder against the teacher.
According to the police, the boy, Rahul Prajapati, had gone to the school as usual on Wednesday last week. "The parents have alleged that the teacher, identified as Virendra Yadav, asked him a question to which the child could not reply. So the teacher beat him up with a baton. The child was initially admitted to a private hospital and was later shifted to SMS Hospital in Jaipur. However, due to financial crunch, the parents got him discharged from the hospital on Monday. He succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday morning," said a senior police officer while quoting the FIR lodged by the child's father.
However, teacher Virendra Yadav refuted these allegations. He said, "I have not beaten anyone. Rahul was playing with some kids and it appears that he sustained injuries while playing."
A large number of villagers gathered outside the police station on Tuesday morning and shouted slogans against the school and police. "We want a murder case against the teacher who thrashed the child," said a villager.
The police got the child's autopsy done by a medical board and the body was kept at the community health centre.
"Only after getting the postmortem report, we would be able to say anything," said a senior police officer.
However, the police recorded the statements of Vikas Kumar, Ravi Kumar and Reeta, other students of the school who have confirmed that Rahul was beaten black and blue by the teacher.
"We need justice as it is confirmed that my son was thrashed by the teacher. The police should immediately arrest the teacher," said Hari Kishan.
Rajendra Singh Shekhawat, station house officer, Kishangarhbas police station, said, "We have recorded the statements of children. We are awaiting the postmortem report to find out the cause of the child's death."