Palamu school denies class 1 student was beaten by senior, says injury followed fall
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK Daltonganj, August 31: A government upgraded middle school in Palamu’s Manatu area has denied allegations that a Class…
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THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, August 31: A government upgraded middle school in Palamu’s Manatu area has denied allegations that a Class 1 student was beaten by a Class 5 student, saying the child’s injury occurred after he slipped and fell while returning home from school.
The controversy surfaced after allegations concerning the alleged assault at Bansi Khurd Government Upgraded Middle School were circulated on social media. The school authorities have termed the claim baseless and said neither the child’s parents nor the student had reported any assault by another student.
Headmaster D.K. Rajak said the allegation that the Class 1 student, identified as Ram Kumar, was thrashed by a senior student and suffered a fractured hand was incorrect.
Rajak said he received a call from the child’s parent on the night of August 25. According to him, the parent informed him that the boy had fallen and injured his hand and sought the school’s assistance in obtaining medical treatment.
“The parent did not complain about any thrashing or assault on his son,” the headmaster said.
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The child belongs to the Bhuiyan community and comes from a financially disadvantaged family, Rajak said.
Following the incident, the school management arranged for the child to undergo an X-ray at Medinirai Medical College and Hospital (MMCH), Daltonganj, on August 27, based on the advice of an orthopaedic doctor in the outpatient department.
The headmaster said the X-ray report did not show a fracture, including a hairline fracture.
Mother says child slipped on way home
The child’s mother, Karo Devi, also told this correspondent that her son had informed her that he slipped and fell on a slushy road while returning home from school on August 25.
She did not allege that another student had assaulted him.
Karo Devi also expressed satisfaction with the assistance provided by the school management in arranging the medical examination.
The school subsequently documented the child’s condition through a photograph taken on August 30, in which the boy is seen carrying a brick in each hand along with his mother.
The headmaster cited the photograph while questioning the claim that the child had suffered a fracture.
DEO calls allegations an attempt to malign school
Palamu District Education Officer Sandeep Kumar said the allegations appeared to be an attempt to cast aspersions on the headmaster and the functioning of the school.
“It’s a deliberate attempt to cast aspersions on the HM. The school is doing fine in a remote place like Manatu police station limits,” Kumar said.
He alleged that some YouTubers had circulated the claim without establishing the facts.
The education department is simultaneously working to improve enrolment in government schools by encouraging fresh admissions and bringing back students who have dropped out, he said.
“Such baseless and unfounded allegations harm the parents and society,” the DEO added.
School has around 280 students
Bansi Khurd Government Upgraded Middle School currently has around 280 enrolled students and is functioning with three teachers besides the headmaster.
According to sources, the district education authorities have directed government schools to develop a proactive and student-friendly environment, with emphasis on both academics and sports.
The school controversy has also highlighted the growing role of social media in reporting alleged incidents involving children. School authorities maintained that allegations concerning students should be verified with parents, teachers and medical records before being circulated publicly.
