Faridabad teacher flogs students for bunking classes, arrested after viral video

The video was reportedly recorded by another student who held a grudge against the teacher as he had punished him few months ago.

A 48-year-old teacher at a senior secondary government school in Saran of Faridabad was arrested for allegedly flogging two 15-year-old students of Class 9 on their soles on Tuesday, after the students reportedly skipped a few classes a day before and snuck out of the school premises, police said on Friday.

The teacher was arrested on Thursday and later released on bail. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The incident was reported to the police after a video of the same, recorded by a 19-year-old student who held a grudge against the teacher for previously punishing him, was widely shared. The teacher was identified as Narender Rathi, who taught mathematics and science.

Inspector Braham Parkash, station house officer of Saran police station, said that the parents initially refused to file a police complaint. “However, after the video went viral, parents of both students approached the police with their wards for legal action,” he said.

The FIR was registered under sections 115 (voluntarily causing hurt) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act at Saran police station on Wednesday. The teacher was arrested on Thursday and later released on bail.

A senior official of the Haryana education department said that they were carrying out an internal inquiry into the incident. “We have got the videos of the incident. The teacher will be served a show-cause notice. He will be placed under suspension and a departmental action will be initiated against him,” he said

Police officials said that the student who had recorded the incident was punished by Rathi a few months ago and developed a grudge.

On Tuesday, Rathi scolded the two students for skipping classes, and made them stand outside the classroom during the mathematics period. Later, he called them in, made them take off their shoes and flogged them with a stick multiple times on their soles while scolding them.

Inspector Parkash said that the statement of one of the victim students was recorded, on the basis of which the teacher was booked. “Surprisingly, there was no committee inside the school for carrying out inquiries on such incidents. We have sought a report from the school authorities which is pending,” he said.

Parkash said that the both victims also recorded their statements before a judicial magistrate. “However, medical examination of the duo didn’t ascertain that they had sustained any kind of physical injuries,” he said, adding further investigation was on in the case.