NHRC steps in after Madhya Pradesh teacher allegedly assaults, hurls casteist slurs at Class 4 Dalit student

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) India has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report stating that a Class 4 Dalit student in Madhya Pradesh was assaulted and subjected to casteist slurs by a teacher at a Government Primary School in Ukawal village, Shivpuri district.

NHRC has issued notices to the Madhya Pradesh chief secretary and Shivpuri superintendent of police for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks. The report is expected to include the status of the statutory relief to the victim.

According to The Hindu media report, an eight-year-old Dalit boy in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district was allegedly beaten and subjected to casteist abuse by a teacher at a government school after he drank water from his own bottle.

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FIR based on family’s complaint

The incident took place on July 28 at a government primary school in Ukawal village, within the limits of Kolaras police station, where the teacher, identified as Lokesh Sharma, allegedly beat the Class 4 student with a cane in front of his classmates.

The boy subsequently narrated the incident to his parents.

The Shivpuri Superintendent of Police (SP) Yangchen Dolkar Bhutia told The Hindu that an FIR has been registered under provisions of the BNS and the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) Prevention of Atrocities Act, based on a complaint from the student’s family.

Furthermore, the teacher has also been questioned in the matter, and police have taken statements from the boy's schoolmates.

The police are confirming the beating but are unclear on the reason. They have also looked into the teacher's record, but no such incident or complaint was reported. Bhutia added that the police are trying to probe the case from all angles.