Synopsis
A Class 9 student named Saravanan tragically died after being assaulted by a classmate on their school bus in Salem's Edappadi. The police have launched an investigation into the incident, which has raised concerns about student safety and abuse in Tamil Nadu's educational institutions.Key Takeaways
- Saravanan (14) was attacked by a classmate.
- The incident occurred on a school bus in Edappadi.
- Police have initiated an inquiry into the matter.
- Related issues of teacher abuse have surfaced in Tamil Nadu.
- Several teachers have been arrested for sexual misconduct.
Chennai, Feb 11 (NationPress) A Class 9 student, who was attacked by a fellow student aboard their school bus in Salem's Edappadi, tragically lost his life on Tuesday.
The local police have initiated a case against the student responsible for this violent incident, and an investigation is currently in progress.
As per the reports from Salem police, the victim has been identified as Saravanan (14), the child of a railway worker residing in the Vellandivalasu area of Edappadi.
The accused, also a resident of the same locality, engaged in a physical altercation with Saravanan.
On Monday evening, while returning home from school on the bus, a dispute erupted between the two boys as they neared Vellandivalasu.
The confrontation escalated into a fight, leading to Saravanan collapsing after sustaining a blow.
Other students and bystanders rushed him to a nearby private hospital. Medical personnel reported that Saravanan's condition was critical, necessitating his admission to the intensive care unit of a private facility in Salem. Unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries early on Tuesday.
The Edappadi police registered a case based on a complaint filed by Saravanan's parents and summoned the 14-year-old accused for questioning regarding this tragic event.
In a related concern, the issue of student mistreatment by teachers has become increasingly prevalent in Tamil Nadu.
On February 7, law enforcement apprehended a science teacher from a government school in Yercaud, Salem, accused of sexually abusing ten female students.
The suspect, Ilayakannu (37), was detained by the Yercaud police on Friday night and charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act.
Ilayakannu, who taught science to students in grades 10 and 12, reportedly assaulted ten girls. The situation came to light when one victim bravely reported the abuse to the school's headmistress, demanding action against the teacher.
The headmistress promptly escalated the issue to the education department and the District Child Protection Unit.
A subsequent inquiry team was dispatched to the school, conducted interviews, and confirmed the abuse of ten students.
Following the complaint from the District Child Protection Unit, the Kondalampatti All Women’s Police Station filed a case under the POCSO Act and arrested Ilayakannu. Further investigations are ongoing.
In a similar incident in Krishnagiri District a few days prior, three government school teachers were arrested for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl at the Panchayat Union Middle School in Bargur.
This crime, occurring in early January, came to light on February 3 when school staff visited the girl's home to inquire about her extended absence.
During the visit, the girl revealed the sexual assault that reportedly took place inside a toilet on the school grounds.
Following her disclosure, the headmistress and the block education officer filed a complaint, resulting in the arrest of the three implicated teachers on February 4.
