Maharashtra students flee school following alleged beating over water fetching; probe ordered

NEW DELHI: A group of students of a government-run primary school in Maharashtra's Palghar district fled to a jungle after teachers allegedly beat them for failing to fetch water on time, an official said on Thursday. The education department has launched an inquiry into the incident that occurred at a zilla parishad school in the Jambulmatha area of Jawhar earlier this week, the official said.

The incident has come in the backdrop of the death of a Class 6 student who was allegedly forced to perform 100 sit-ups for arriving late to a school in the district. Parents of the affected students on Wednesday submitted a memorandum to the zilla parishad alleging that the teaching staff had sent students to fetch water from a source located approximately one kilometre away, and beat them when they returned late.

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Distressed by the beating, a group of students fled the school premises and sought refuge in a jungle nearby, they claimed, demanding strict action against teachers involved in the incident. "The zilla parishad has initiated a probe into the allegations, and appropriate action will be taken based on the report. Teams have already gone to the school," said Sonali Matekar, education officer (Primary) of the zilla parishad.