5-year-old boy wet his pants, UP teacher ‘brands his private parts’ as punishment

The Station House Officer of the police station concerned said the medical examination confirmed a blister on the victim’s private parts, and that police were in the process of recording statements from doctors and other persons connected to the case. No arrests have been made so far, he said.

The father did not respond to calls seeking comment.

According to police, the father said the incident occurred on July 24 when his son asked his teacher, Preeti Kushwaha, for permission to use the bathroom.

The father, as per police, said the teacher allegedly refused and his child ended up urinating in his trousers. This, the father alleged, enraged the teacher. She took the boy to another room, heated a knife over a flame, and allegedly used it to burn his private parts. She also allegedly beat him and threatened that if he repeated the “mistake”, she would deal with him even more severely, the father alleged.

Police said the father learnt of the incident only after returning home from work that evening, when his son narrated the entire ordeal to him. He alleged that he tried calling the teacher but she did not respond to his calls.

Police said the man claimed that when his wife contacted the school principal, Hemlata Singh, regarding the matter, the latter allegedly refused to offer any support and told them to “do whatever you want”.

The following day, when the father visited the school in person, he told police that both the principal and the school manager once again refused to extend any assistance.

The family has alleged that as a result of the teacher’s actions, their child has been left frightened and traumatised.

Police said the case has been lodged on charges of voluntarily causing hurt, voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means and criminal intimidation.

Reacting to the incident, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said in a post in Hindi on X, “This is an extremely serious matter whose painful and horrific impact could last a lifetime on that child. Teachers should have enough sense to treat children with empathy and humanity. Immediate appropriate action must be taken!”