Delhi: A 10-year-old student at Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya in East Delhi’s Vinod Nagar died during treatment last week, with her family alleging that she was forced to stand in the sun as punishment for failing to bring a book to school.
According to police sources cited by PTI, the school contacted the child's mother, Anjali, after her condition deteriorated. Upon arriving at the school, the mother found her daughter standing outside in the heat and in an unwell condition.
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The family alleged that the teacher had punished the girl for not bringing a book to the school. The girl was subsequently rushed to a hospital, where she died during treatment on August 27.
Following the incident, the child's family members and local residents gathered outside the school to protest, demanding strict action against those responsible. Her family further accused the school's teachers of subjecting the 10-year-old to torture, claiming that persistent mistreatment had severely impacted her mental health and pushed her into depression.
BJP MLA Assures Action
BJP MLA Ravinder Singh Negi visited the protest site and assured the family that strict action will be taken against any school staff member found guilty.
"A student has died. The family alleges that when the student fell ill, she was not taken to the hospital by the school authorities in time. Later, the student was admitted to IHBAS for 25 days, after which she died. I have taken cognisance of the matter and assured that action will be taken against the teachers found responsible for the death of the student. Those found guilty will not be spared," the MLA said.
Impartial Inquiry Underway, Teacher Transferred: Delhi Minister
Delhi Higher Education Minister Ashish Sood expressed grief over the incident, calling it "deeply distressing." In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he said that an impartial inquiry is underway and that the teacher involved has been transferred pending the investigation.
"The tragic death of the student at the school in East Vinod Nagar is a deeply distressing and serious matter. An impartial inquiry is underway to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident, and pending its completion, the concerned teacher has been transferred with immediate effect to ensure a fair, transparent and uninfluenced investigation," the Delhi Minister wrote.
"The Government is treating this matter with the highest degree of seriousness and sensitivity. If the inquiry establishes any negligence, dereliction of duty, lapse or irregularity at any level, strict and appropriate action will be taken against those found responsible, in accordance with the law. The safety and well-being of every child remains the Government’s foremost priority," he added.
(With Inputs From PTI)