On Saturday, August 26, police arrested Farooq Ahmed, the teacher from Kathua who thrashed a Hindu student for writing Jai Shri Ram in the Government Higher Secondary School (Bani). The principal of the school, Mohammed Hafiz, is reportedly absconding till now. As per reports, Ahmed thrashed a Class 10 student for writing ‘Jai Shri Ram’ on the classroom blackboard, leading to widespread protests against him.
The principal is also an accused in the matter. The victim, a teenage student, is currently in the hospital for treatment. According to the reports, the victim’s father, Kuldeep Singh, submitted a complaint against Ahmed and Hafiz at the police station on August 25, alleging they beat up his son. Based on his complaint, an FIR was registered against the duo at Police Station Bani under relevant Sections of the Juvenile Justice Act. A local SHO headed a team that visited the school premises and arrested the teacher.
A senior police official said, “The principal is absconding, and a search is going on to arrest him while further investigation is underway.” Deputy Commissioner of Kathua Rakesh Minhas formed a three-member committee to investigate the matter. Sub Divisional Magistrate (Bani), Deputy Chief Education Officer (Kathua) and Principal of Government High Secondary School (Kharote) are members of the committee.
In his order, while forming the committee, Minhas said, “The committee members are directed to inquire into the matter and submit the fact-finding report along with specific comments and recommendations to this office within two days positively in order to proceed further in the matter. Moreover, the committee is also directed to fix the responsibility against the culprit regarding the incident.”
The incident triggered protests in Kathua
A video of the victim narrating the incident had gone viral on social media. In the video, the minor student (class X) is seen narrating the incident. Explaining why he is in the hospital, he stated that his teacher, Farooq, and the school principal brutally thrashed him for writing Jai Shri Ram on the blackboard. Speaking with OpIndia, Kathua Police stated that the incident took place on the 25th of August. The police confirmed that the minor schoolboy was beaten for writing ‘Jai Shri Ram’ on the blackboard. Following the incident, Hindu organisations launched a protest against the teacher and the principal, demanding strict action by the police and the administration.
They added that they had filed an FIR in the case against two accused under Sections 323 (deals with punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 342 (wrongful confinement), 504(intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Additionally, they have charged the accused under Section 75 (which provides for punishment if any person having control of the child assaults, abandons, abuses or willfully neglects the child) of the Juvenile Justice Act. The accused have been identified as school Principal Mohammed Hafiz and lecturer Farooq Ahmed.
