Six-year-old girl critical after Class 3 student assaults her at Panchkula school; probe on

CCTV feed left unmonitored around 3 PM after principal left and staff were diverted to off-site duties; child rights panel takes cognisance.

Haryana education minister Mahipal Dhanda has formed a high-level probe committee, and the Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (HSCPCR) has taken cognizance of a security lapse after a six-year-old girl was brutally assaulted by an eight-year-old Class 3 student inside a government school in Panchkula.

CCTV footage recovered by police shows the eight-year-old boy grabbing the six-year-old girl by the hair, slamming her head against a desk, and repeatedly striking her with a brick, stones, and a flowerpot before leaving her unconscious on October 28. The victim is battling for life at Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh.

The victim remains in critical condition at the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, between 3pm and 3.15pm. According to family members, the suspect lured the victim to a first-floor classroom under the pretext that her father was waiting for her. CCTV footage recovered by police shows the boy grabbing the girl by her hair, slamming her head against a desk, and repeatedly striking her with a brick, stones, and a flowerpot before leaving her unconscious.

The attack has triggered widespread outrage over security protocols.

Relatives said the live CCTV monitor in the principal’s office went unmonitored because the principal departed when her shift ended at 3pm. Furthermore, several teachers had been assigned off-site government duties, forcing remaining staff to merge multiple classes together.

“This incident serves as a lesson for all schools. If such things happen despite having so many teachers, no one will want to send their children to school,” the victim’s uncle said. “Whether private or government, staff are paid salaries to ensure safety, yet they failed to do their job.”

Assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Vikram Nehra said that local police and school authorities are reviewing the security lapses. Because the suspect is eight years old, he is undergoing a medical and legal maturity assessment to determine criminal capacity under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) provisions governing minors aged seven to 12 years.