Student caned for talking after class

MYSORE, NOV 28: An innocent conversation between 15-year-old Balasubramanya and his friend, while they were trooping out of the classroom, ...

MYSORE, NOV 28: An innocent conversation between 15-year-old Balasubramanya and his friend, while they were trooping out of the classroom, seemed enough reason for the Sharada Vilas High School8217;s physical training teacher Thirumaladas to cane Balasubramanya till he was black and blue.

8220;The classes were over and we were moving out of the school premises from the classroom in a single file. Excited about returning home, my friend asked me if I could go over to his house. I said I could not. Suddenly, Thirumaladas sir, who was standing nearby, called me and began caning me in front of everybody. He did not heed my pleas,8221; Balasubramanya told The Indian Express on Thursday. The tenth standard student sobbed as he showed the bruises on his back, arms and stomach.

According to Balasubramanya, even as he continued the caning Thirumaladas shouted, 8220;How dare you talk when you are walking out in a single file? I will teach you a lesson8221;. 8220;I felt humiliated. After he was through with beating me, I began to walk away. He called me back, took my register number and asked me which section I belonged to. I answered him and left the school premises,8221; the young boy recounted. Balasubramanya narrated the happening to his parents and relatives at home, who were infuriated by the teacher8217;s cruelty. But his father had met with an accident recently and was nursing a leg fracture. So, one of Balasubramanya8217;s cousin accompanied him to school on Wednesday.

All the students boycotted classes, demanding an apology from Thirumaladas. Many other students of the ninth standard, who had also come in for similar treatment a day before, also gathered courage and showed their wounds to the headmaster, Seetharam. But Seetharam refused to allow Thirumaladas, who had taken shelter in the headmaster8217;s chambers, to come out and offer his apologies. 8220;You boys cannot be trusted. I will not bring Thirumaladas before you and neither will he offer any apologies. I am willing to pay money for the treatment. Do not make it a big issue,8221; the head master said.