Teacher booked for assault, casteist slur

JALANDHAR : Four days after a Class-8 Dalit student, who was allegedly tricked into drinking urine by his classmates, made a suicide attempt by jumping off the third floor of his house, police on Tuesday booked his class teacher for assaulting him and making casteist remarks.

He has sustained fractures on both his legs and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital here. The accused, Shinki Sharma teaches science to the boy at St Joseph Convent School for Boys, Defence Colony.

In her complaint, the victim’s mother said some of his classmates filled his water bottle with urine and insulted him in the classroom.

“Even the school staff insulted me when I took up the matter with them, forcing him to take this extreme step,” she said.

A case has been registered under Section 323 (voluntary causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 3 (1) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act at the Navi Baradari police station.

Assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Dalbir Singh Butter said, “We will send the student’s water bottle to laboratory to ascertain whether students had filled urine in it. We will also question the students to probe the role of the teacher.”

COMPLETE PROBE BY AUGUST 28: SC PANEL

The Scheduled Caste Commission on Tuesday directed the police to complete the probe by August 28 and submit the report.

Raj Kumar Hans, a member of the commission, on Tuesday visited the school where the boy studies and the hospital where he is undergoing treatment.