A school teacher was arrested after a 12-year-old student died following a punishment of 100 sit-ups for arriving late to school in Maharashtra’s Vasai. Confirming the incident, Senior Police Inspector Dilip Ghuge said a probe in the case was underway and strict action would follow the school administration if any negligence is found from their side.
"Her post-mortem has been done in that. The post-mortem report has been received. Based on eyewitness statements, including those of school teachers and other students, a case FIR has been registered, and the teacher has been arrested... The inquiry is ongoing and at the initial stage. If there is negligence on their (the school administration's) part, then action will also be taken against them," Ghuge told ANI.
The police said the girl was made to do sit-ups along with other students as she arrived 10 minutes late to the school. She experienced discomfort and swelling after reaching home and was eventually hospitalised.
"On 8th November, a girl came to school 10 minutes late. The school teacher punished her and the other students who came late by making them do sit-ups... When the girl went home, she started feeling some discomfort, with her legs swelling, as her mother told her. Later, her mother admitted her to the hospital, where she was given medicines and treatment. After treatment, she was admitted to JJ Hospital on 13th November. The girl's parents say that because of coming late to school, the teacher made her do sit-ups, and that is why our daughter lost her life," added Ghuge.
Victim’s mother rebukes school administration over negligence
Victim’s mother Sheela Gaud shared the details of the incident and said school's negligence led to her daughter’s death as she was made to do sit-ups with bags hanging from her.
"Permission was not granted because my daughter was late. Because my child was late, she was made to do sit-ups with bags hanging from her, along with many other students. My daughter hasn't disclosed how many sit-ups she was required to do. However, according to what the children said, some did 100, others 50, and some 60. My daughter also did the same. When my daughter came home at five in the evening, she said that her back was hurting... Upon inquiring, she told me what happened... Since then, her problems kept increasing, and ultimately she died... First, we admitted her to Astha Hospital, where doctors said that they were giving her medicines, and she got nervous because of the sit-ups. They also told me her back has become stiff and she has no illness...," she said.
School declines to pay treatment expenses
The incident led to widespread anger, as many accused the school of attempting to avoid accountability. The girl’s mother said that the school’s administrator told her to leave the hospital and declined to cover the expenses, even though her daughter was in a critical state.
