7-yr-old boy sustains 40% burns after teacher throws hot water

We have information about the incident but haven’t received any complaint regarding the matter, said police

A Class 2 student suffered 40% burns after his teacher threw hot water on him for relieving himself in the school uniform at Santekallur village in Karnataka’s Raichur district, police said on Friday.

Police said that they will register a complaint if the family approaches them. (Representational photo)

The incident took place last Friday at a primary school run by a body called Ghanamatheshwara Grameena Samsthe but came to the fore recently.

The 7-year-old student has been admitted to Lingasaguru taluk hospital and is undergoing treatment, police said.

A senior Raichur police officer, who did not want to be named said as per the information available, on finding out that the student had defecated in his uniform, the teacher got upset and poured boiling water on him. The accused teacher was identified as Huligeppa, said police.

“We have information about the incident but haven’t received any complaint regarding the matter. As of now, no FIR has been registered. Our personnel inspected the school, but since it comes under the education department, even suo moto complaint should come from there, if not the police,” said the officer, who did not wish to be named.

When asked about the local media reports that the family of student was threatened over filing the complaint and allegedly receiving calls from some local leaders, the officer said that police will register a complaint if the family approaches them.

The incident comes days after a teacher in an Aaganawadi day care centre in Karnataka’s Tumakuru burned the genitals of a 3-year-old boy. The teacher, along with her assistant burned the child’s genitals for urinating in his underpants. .

The accused was identified as 28-year-old assistant teacher Rashmi. The toddler who belongs to the Dalit community, ‘Korama’ had recently lost his mother, said persons in the know of the development. The family comprising the father and two sons moved to Godekere from Chikkamagaluru after the demise of the mother.

“The accused teacher was booked under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015 and under Section 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible mat­ter) of the Indian Penal Code,” superintendent of police (SP) Rahul Kumar Shahapurwad said.

Following the incident, the accused teacher had tried to issue an apology and resolve the matter to avoid any legal action, police said. However, the victim’s kin insisted on strict actions and filed an FIR against her on Friday. The Women and Child Welfare Department has also issued notice to the teacher, said the police.