Odisha schoolteacher suspended for beating 31 students for not touching her feet

The teacher allegedly thrashed 31 students with a bamboo stick for not touching her feet after the morning prayer

Published on: Sep 14, 2025, 15:47:30 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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Bhubaneswar: An assistant teacher in a government upper primary school in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district has been suspended after she allegedly thrashed 31 students with a bamboo stick for not touching her feet after the morning prayer.

Officials confirmedthat a total of 31 students from three classes were beaten by the teacher for not bowing before her. (Representational image)

The incident took place on Friday at Khandadeula Government Upper Primary School under Betnoti block’s Pratimadeipur cluster. According to officials, assistant teacher Sukanti Kar arrived late to school and, while taking classes for students of classes VI, VII and VIII, questioned them on why they had not offered her the customary gesture of respect after the prayer session.

When some students admitted they had not touched her feet, she allegedly beat them mercilessly with a bamboo stick. Several students sustained injuries, and one child suffered a fracture in his hand due to the assault.

News of the incident quickly reached parents, triggering anger among guardians and members of the School Management Committee (SMC). The headmaster immediately reported the matter to Betnoti BEO Biplab Kar and cluster coordinator Debasish Sahu, who rushed to the school to investigate.

Officials said that during the inquiry, discussions were held with parents, SMC members, the headmaster and injured students. It was established that a total of 31 students from three classes had been beaten for not bowing before the teacher.

On Saturday evening, disciplinary action was initiated and the teacher was placed under suspension. “The matter was treated with utmost seriousness given the sensitivity of the incident. The teacher has been suspended pending further proceedings,” BEO Kar confirmed.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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