Maharashtra Teacher Arrested After 13-Year-Old Student Dies Following Excessive Punishment

The 13-year-old girl was subjected to 100 sit-ups as punishment for arriving late to school.

Palghar:

Police officials in Maharashtra's Palghar district have arrested a female teacher following the death of a Class 6 student who was allegedly forced to complete 100 sit-ups as punishment for tardiness, authorities confirmed on Thursday.

The teacher, who has been dismissed from her position at the private educational institution in Sativali within the Vasai region, faces charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, according to a representative from Waliv police station.

According to reports, the student was instructed to perform 100 sit-ups after arriving late to school on November 8. The girl's mother has claimed that her daughter died as a consequence of this "inhuman punishment," stating that the teacher required the child to execute the sit-ups while wearing her school bag.

Officials revealed that the 13-year-old student had pre-existing health conditions and was unable to withstand the strenuous punishment. She became ill and was subsequently transported to a Mumbai hospital, where she succumbed to her condition after seven days of treatment.

The tragic incident triggered protests from community members and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena activists, compelling law enforcement to register a case. The teacher was apprehended on Tuesday night, the official confirmed.

The education department has initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, and the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation has also launched a separate inquiry.