Chhattisgarh teacher thrashed students for fasting on Janmashtami, suspended: Govt

Chhattisgarh government officials said the school teacher’s action was treated as a serious misconduct under the state’s civil services conduct rules.

RAIPUR: A government school teacher in Chhattisgarh's Kondagaon district was suspended after he allegedly thrashed students who observed a fast on the Janmashtami festival, officials said on Thursday.

PA Chhattisgarh school teacher was suspended for punishing students who observed a fast on Janmashtami. (HT Photo (Representative Image))

The teacher, Charan Markam, is posted at a government school in Kondagaon’s Girola area, 200 km south of state capital Raipur. Police said panchayat and villagers complained that Markam beat up students of classes 7 and 8 in the school on Tuesday.

Markam’s suspension order was issued on Wednesday by the district administration.

Officials said Markam asked his students to raise their hands if they had observed a fast and performed rituals during the Janmashtami festival. Students who said they observed a fast were thrashed.

The teacher was suspended after a preliminary inquiry report was received by the district administration.

The suspension order said “hurting religious sentiments and spreading hatred in the society” was counted as a serious misconduct. “Your (Markam) act is against the Chhattisgarh Civil Services (Conduct) Rules 1965.”

Kondagaon superintendent of police Siddharth Tiwari said the police were yet to register a case against the teacher. “We have got a report from district administration. Case has not been registered till now but appropriate action will be taken after analysing the report,” he said.