MAPUSA
In a swift turn of events, the Colvale Police arrested two teachers on Thursday for allegedly assaulting a nine-year-old student at a private school in Camurlim. The arrest came shortly after Fisheries Minister Nilkant Halarnkar criticized the handling of the case and demanded the suspension of the Colvale Police Inspector for inefficiency.
Later in the evening, the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) in Mapusa remanded the two teachers to five days of police custody, effectively preventing them from celebrating Chaturthi, Goa's biggest festival.
Ironically, the arrest happened on Teachers’ Day, a day typically dedicated to honouring educators across India.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Sandesh Chodankar stated that the teachers were not cooperating with the investigation, which led to their arrest. On Wednesday, the teachers had been summoned for questioning under Section 41(A) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), which requires compliance without arrest, according to Supreme Court guidelines.
The teachers, who were suspended by the school management on the directive of the Education Department, are accused of severely beating a Class IV student at Shree Saraswati Vidyamandir Primary School in Camurlim.
The child sustained multiple injuries, including bruises, cut marks, and blood clots, after being hit with a steel ruler by one of the teachers.
The police had initially booked the teachers under Section 8 of the Goa Children’s Act and various sections of the BNS Act following a complaint from the child's father.
On Thursday, the police added charges under Section 82 of the Juvenile Justice Act.
The case has sparked outrage and concern, prompting a closer examination of how the incident was initially handled by authorities.
Further investigation into the matter is ongoing.
