A school teacher, who was recently beaten up by students in Jharkhand’s Dumka district, had been demoted from the post of principal for making casteist statements in class, The Indian Express reported on Thursday, citing a government official.
A video of the incident had surfaced online on Wednesday. It showed a group of students beating up the teacher, Suman Kumar, and a school clerk, after tying them with a rope to a tree. The incident took place on August 29.
According to authorities, the students took the action after the teacher allegedly gave them poor marks in the Class 9 practical examination conducted by the Jharkhand Academic Council.
Deputy Development Commissioner Karn Satyarthi, who is also a part of the project director of the Integrated Tribal Development Agency in Dhumka district, said that tension had erupted between Kumar and students four months ago.
“Sometime in April, the students were unhappy with the concerned headmaster, Suman, as he used to hurl caste-based expletives,” Satyarthi told The Indian Express. “A first information report was registered at the instance of the students and we recommended his transfer.”
Kumar was, however, demoted to the teacher’s post at the same school, he added.
The Pahariya Uccha Vidyalaya in Dhumka’s Gopikandar block has enrolled 245 students – all of whom belong to the Pahariya community categorised under the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups. Five teachers work in the school.
The August 29 incident, however, took place when the matter against Kumar over caste-based slurs had been settled, Satyarthi told the newspaper.
“Prima facie, there was some issue in the assessment of students,” he said. “However, we are inquiring about the matter.”
Surendra Hebram, the block education extension officer of Gopikandar block, told ANI that the authorities held talks with all the teachers after the incident.
“When we reached there, the students said they didn’t receive adequate response from their teachers,” Hebram said.
Meanwhile, the teacher said that the students called the staff under the pretext of holding a meeting on August 29.
“…they said their results were spoiled,” the teacher told ANI. “It happened because their practical marks were not included in results. That was to be done by the headmaster. So we couldn’t have taken any step in this regard.”
No case has been registered against the students, said Gopikandar police station in-charge Nityanand Bhokta, PTI reported.
“After verification of the incident, I asked the school authority to lodge a complaint but it refused saying that it might spoil the careers of the students,” Bhokta said.
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