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Six-year-old dies as teacher smashes his head against wall

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In an example of corporal punishment continuing unabated in schools, a six-year-old died after his head was allegedly smashed against a wall for not speaking in English.

The incident occurred on Saturday at Tirumalagiri village of Halia Mandal in Nalgonda district, about 80 kms from here, when the teacher Sumathi asked some question to Chandu R. Unable to answer in English, he replied in Telugu. When she insisted that he should answer in English, Chandu told her that he can not speak English. As other students tried to make fun of him, this enraged the teacher further and she allegedly slapped him. Sumathi told police that she only tried to beat him up and in the process he accidentally hit the wall.

He was first taken to a local hospital but as his condition deteriorated he was later shifted to a hospital in Hyderabad where he breathed last on Sunday.

Achuta Rao, a child rights campaigner, demanding immediate arrest of the teacher has also demanded to cancel the recognition of the school. Refuting the teacher's claim, he said the teacher was angry at the students and hit on Chandu's head. "According to an eye witness, the boy fainted after being hit. He was in coma when he was taken to the hospital," he said.

The National Child Rights Commission too has taken a note of the issue and directed the collector and the superintendent police of Nalgonda to investigate.

The collector has directed the district education officer to file a report on the incident and check the possibility of accommodating 100-odd students in another government school and suspend the license of Greatway School of Excellence.

The incident triggered a massive outrage on Monday. Chandu's parents and relatives laid a siege to the school, gheroaed the teachers, roughed up the school staff and also damaged some furniture. A posse of policemen were posted in the village as scores of people protested demanding action against the management.

The district police officials said they are awaiting the autopsy report to establish the real cause of the death. Meanwhile, police have taken the teacher and principal into custody for questioning.

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