Muzaffarnagar student slapped: UP minorities panel issues summons, NHRC sends notice

“…A video has surfaced wherein a teacher is seen harassing a child from a minority community in Muzaffarnagar district. The president (of the commission) has conducted a probe into the incident and sought a report,” reads the letter addressed to the district magistrate.

The district authorities on Sunday had sealed the private school located at Khubbapur village. Tyagi (60) allegedly referred to the boy’s faith and talked pejoratively about “Mohammedan children” as she asked other students to slap the seven-year-old “hard”. The boy’s family said he was beaten up for a mistake in multiplication tables.

The commission has sought details on the action taken against the accused and sections of the Indian Penal Code under which the case was registered.

It has also sought details on whether the school was recognised by the government, and if yes, up to which class. Moreover, the commission asked for a copy of the school building map if passed by the authorities concerned.

The commission asked the district magistrate to provide details of the number of teachers posted at the school, their qualifications, and the fees being charged from students.

It has also sought the recorded statements of the school principal, staff members, and family members of the child who was harassed.

Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday sent a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government over the incident.

“NHRC, India has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that a teacher of a private school referring to the faith of one of her students in an absurd manner ordered his classmates to beat him,” the notice reads.

Further, the NHRC observed that the contents of the media report, if true, amount to a violation of the victim’s human rights. Accordingly, it issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Uttar Pradesh DGP, calling for a detailed report on the matter within four weeks.