Kerala: Playschool Teacher Arrested For Caning 3-Year-Old In Kochi

The case came to light after the parents found visible marks on the child’s back and lodged a complaint with the Mattanchery police.

The playschool management suspended Seethalakshmi who was employed on a contract basis.

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A playschool teacher in Mattanchery has been arrested for allegedly flogging a three-and-a-half-year-old boy, leaving him with severe bruises. The incident occurred after the child reportedly failed to answer questions and complete his writing assignments.

The teacher, identified as Seethalakshmi, was booked under section 118 (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and section 75 (punishment for cruelty to children) of the Juvenile Justice Act, according to local police, as per a report on Times of India.

The disturbing case came to light when the boy showed reluctance to attend the playschool, prompting his parents to question him. Upon inspection, the parents found visible marks on the child’s back and lodged a complaint with the Mattanchery police.

The playschool management suspended Seethalakshmi, who was employed on a contract basis, following the mother’s complaint, reported On Manorama. On Thursday, the teacher was presented in court. Following this, the family decided to withdraw their complaint.

Consequently, the court granted interim bail to Seethalakshmi. They also instructed her to appear before the magistrate on Monday. The police were also directed to submit a report along with a medical certificate.

Meanwhile, Shyam Sasi, district coordinator of Childline, confirmed that volunteers have collected details from the police and are preparing to take a detailed statement from the boy's family.

However, the school management is yet to comment on the matter.

Early this month, a private school teacher was seen pulling students by their hair and thrashing them in a viral video from Gujarat. 

On September 24, the teacher pulled a student from his seat by his hair and continued to drag him near the blackboard and banged his head on the board. He also reportedly slapped the student multiple times.