The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought a status report from the Uttar Pradesh government on the investigation in the case of a student being slapped by his classmates on the instruction of their teacher at a school in Muzaffarnagar.
A bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and Pankaj Mithal, while issuing notice to the state, termed the incident “a serious matter” and wanted to know about the steps taken by the authorities to investigate the matter and the protection offered to the victim and his family. Besides the Uttar Pradesh government, the bench issued notices to the Centre and the CBSE and the ICSE boards for their response on the petition filed by Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi.
In the video, teacher Tripta Tyagi was seen instructing some of her students to beat up a Muslim classmate as he stood crying. She was also heard saying that Muslim kids should be beaten before being sent home because they don’t do their work well.
The apex court, while issuing the notices, posted the matter for further hearing to September 25.
Besides seeking a time-bound independent investigation and registration of FIRs under the IPC and provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) 2015, the petition has sought preventive and remedial measures in all schools against any such violence against children from the minority communities.
