Daijiworld Media Network - Gandhinagar

Gandhinagar, Feb 4: A private school teacher in Gandhinagar has been sentenced to three years and three months in jail and fined Rs 50,000 for assaulting a Class 9 student over incomplete homework, an incident that reportedly ruptured the girl’s eardrum and caused severe hearing damage.

The verdict was delivered by the Third Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Gandhinagar, bringing an end to a case that dates back to 2020.

According to court records, the incident took place at a private school in Sector 28, where science teacher Parulben allegedly lost her temper after a 14-year-old student failed to complete her lesson. In a fit of anger, the teacher reportedly slapped the girl on her left cheek.

Doctors later confirmed that the impact led to a ruptured eardrum, leaving the student with permanent hearing impairment, the prosecution said.

The student’s parents filed a police complaint following the incident, leading to a prolonged legal battle. During the trial, the prosecution produced medical reports, witness statements and evidence from the school to support the charge.

The court held that the teacher had misused her authority and ruled that the assault on a minor was a serious offence.

Parulben was sentenced to three years and three months’ simple imprisonment and fined Rs 25,000 under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code. She was also awarded one year’s simple imprisonment and an additional fine of Rs 25,000 under Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act for cruelty to a minor, taking the total fine to Rs 50,000.

In its remarks, the court observed that violence against a child by a teacher was a grave matter and said such acts cannot be tolerated, stressing the need to send a strong message against corporal punishment in schools.