Six-year-old dies after teacher's slap in Visakhapatnam school
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A six-year-old boy died after being slapped by his teacher at a private school in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, on Thursday. The state's School Education Department called the death 'extremely unfortunate and painful' and formed a three-member committee to investigate.
Key Facts
- Pranay Teja, 6, collapsed in his classroom after being slapped by his kindergarten teacher for allegedly failing to complete homework.
- Security camera footage shows the teacher pulling Teja closer and slapping him; he collapses within seconds.
- The Andhra Pradesh School Education Department formed a three-member committee to examine the death.
- India banned corporal punishment in schools under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, which came into force in 2010.
- A 2018 study by nonprofit Agrasar found nearly 80 percent of low-income schoolchildren surveyed in Gurugram reported being beaten several times a week.
The Classroom Incident
Around noon on Thursday, Krishna Prasad received a call that his son Pranay Teja had collapsed at school and was taken to King George Hospital in Visakhapatnam. By the time Prasad reached the hospital, Teja was declared dead on arrival. Grainy security camera footage from the classroom shows Teja standing in a queue, appearing distressed and pleading with the teacher. The teacher pulls him closer and slaps him; within seconds, he collapses onto her. Other teachers attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation before taking him to the hospital.
Legal Framework and Prevalence
India banned corporal punishment in schools after introducing the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act in 2009, which came into force the next year. The law explicitly prohibits physical punishment and mental harassment of children. India's Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, also criminalises cruelty to a child by those in charge of them, including teachers. A 2018 study by Agrasar, a nonprofit, found that nearly 80 percent of low-income schoolchildren surveyed in Gurugram reported being beaten several times a week. New Delhi-based lawyer Kawalpreet Kaur said the RTE Act does not create a strong standalone criminal offence, leaving gaps in implementation.
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Six-year-old dies after teacher's slap in Visakhapatnam school
