National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) Chairman Priyank Kanoongo on Saturday (August 26) addressed the incident in Muzaffarnagar, where a teacher allegedly orchestrated a situation wherein children were made to assault another child. Kanoongo stated that notices have been issued to the District Magistrate (DM) and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Muzaffarnagar. The NCPCR has directed them to provide separate reports on the incident.
Kanoongo can be heard saying in a video posted by news agency ANI, "We have noticed an incident from Muzaffarnagar where a teacher made children beat another child. We have issued notices to DM Muzaffarnagar and SSP Muzaffarnagar. We have directed them to submit separate reports to us. We have directed the SP to register an FIR in this matter...and give us a report."
The Commission has also urged the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) to provide counselling to all affected children, including those who were involved in the violence as well as those who were victims. Furthermore, any viral videos revealing the children's identities must be removed from social media platforms, and those responsible must face legal action.
"We have asked the DM to look into the school's certificate, teachers, and qualifications. We have directed the CWC to provide counselling to all children, whether they were used in the violence or were victims of it. We have also directed that any viral video that reveals the children's identities be removed from all social media sites. And those who have made it should face legal consequences," Kanoongo said.
In a viral video, a teacher (later identified as a Muzaffarnagar school teacher) instructed her students to hit a student one by one, ostensibly because he miscalculated his multiplication tables, referring to his Muslim faith.
The incident occurred on Thursday in the village of Khubbapur, which is under the jurisdiction of the Mansurpur police station, according to reports. Tripta Tyagi, the teacher, and Neha Public School, which she owns and where the incident occurred, are being investigated by both the police and the education authorities.
In the video, ordered by Tyagi, children walk up to him and slap the boy, who is in tears.
Earlier in the day, the schoolteacher stated that she had no intention of editing and cutting the viral video. She went on to say that both Hindus and Muslims in the area support unity. "The viral video was edited and cut; I had no such intentions...in our place, Hindus and Muslims remain united, and we have more Muslim students," the teacher told ANI. She claimed that the child's parents pressed her to be strict with him because he had not completed his homework for the previous two months.