Urine punishment: Cops put pressure on girl's family

The family of 10-year-old Punita Mistri is under immense pressure. Visva-Bharati wants Punita back, but the authorities are not sorry for what a warden of their hostel put her through. HT reports.

The family of 10-year-old Punita Mistri is under immense pressure.

Visva-Bharati wants Punita back, but the authorities are not sorry for what a warden of their hostel put her through. And the police want her to take a medical test, but they are not saying what it might prove 96 hours after the child was forced to drink urine.

Plus, the case against the girl’s parents — lodged following the complaints of Visva-Bharati authorities, is continuing.

On Wednesday, the authorities met Punita’s parents and requested them to let the child join school. Registrar of Visva-Bharati Mani Mukut Mitra and Patha Bhavan school principal Bodhirupa Sinha, however, did not express any word of regret during their half-hour stay at the Mistris’ house in Bolpur’s Makrampur area.

Their unapologetic attitude irked Punita’s father Manoj Mistri, who said he would not send his daughter back. Punita, too, is determined not to return.

The university authorities’ visit appears to be a result of the sudden condemnation by the teachers’ council and the employees’ union. Kishore Bhattacharya, Patha Bhavan teacher and secretary of Adhyapak Sabha, told HT, “We have requested our principal to visit the girl. She needs mental support.”

‘She didn’t lick urine’
The interim report submitted to HRD ministry by Vishwa Bharti says the child started crying before licking the urine and did not actually lick it. The report says the mother had sought help from the warden and it was with her consent that the warden tried this therapy.