Kharagpur: Akash Banerjee, a Class VII boy is losing his eyesight after being beaten up by his schoolteacher in Hijli near Kharagpur in West Bengal. His fault: He had disobeyed his teacher who had asked him to stand on the playground holding his ears, reports Times of India.
It was the second period on Saturday at Hijli High School where Akash is a student. “Science teacher Amitava Midhya asked Akash three questions. He failed to answer one of them. The teacher then asked him to stand on the playground holding his ears. Akash, who was in his NCC uniform, requested the teacher to not send him to the field. He was ready to stand inside the classroom,” narrated one of his classmates.
The teacher, however, was not ready for an argument and burst out in anger. “He started beating me up,” said Akash. After 10 minutes of thrashing, the teacher left,” said another of his classmates.
When Akash returned home in the afternoon, his eyes had turned red and swollen. He told his parents about the entire incident when he could no longer bear the pain in his eyes.
His father Tapas, a smalltime trader, took his son to Kharagpur subdivisonal hospital, where doctors advised him to take the boy to an eye specialist. After a check-up, the eye sepcialist told Tapas that his son had sustained serious injuries in both eyes. He asked Tapas to take Akash to Kolkata for better treatment.
“The doctor told me that my boy is losing his eyesight,” said Tapas.
On Monday, Tapas lodged a complaint with Kharagpur police and before that, informed headmaster Rabishankar Chatterjee. After getting the complaint, Chatterjee tried to contact the teacher, but failed. Middhya did not turn up at the school after the incident.
“We have already served a notice to our teachers to do away with corporal punishment. We have discussed the matter with the members of our managing committee and have formed an inquiry committee comprising five members, including block medical officer Pampa Roy,” said Chatterjee.
Police have also started a case. Akash is being treated in Kolkata.
