Fury as schoolgirl,12, dies after being ‘made to do 100 sit-ups for being late’ | World | News
A teenage girl died nearly a week after she was allegedly made to do 100 sit-ups as punishment for being late for school. The tragic incident sparked widespread anger over discipline in the country’s schools, as well as calls for a full investigation.
On November 8, the 12-year-old student, a Grade 6 student of a private school in Sativali, Maharashtra, India, was reportedly asked to do 100 sit-ups after being late for class along with four other students. His mother claimed that the exercise was made worse by him carrying his schoolbag on his back during the punishment; She believes that this situation led to the rapid deterioration of her daughter’s health. A few days later, the girl was admitted to a hospital in Mumbai and died there on Friday night, November 15.
Local political party members stated that it was known that the student had pre-existing health problems, but the punishment was given anyway.
A teacher from the school said, “It is not known how many times this child did sit-ups. It is not really known whether he died because of this or for another reason.”
Block Education Officer Pandurang Galange, who is responsible for the supervision, coordination and implementation of school-education programs and policies, confirmed that an investigation had been opened. “The investigation will reveal the exact cause of his death,” he said.
According to local authorities, no official police First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged yet.
Speaking to the media, the girl’s mother said that her daughter’s health deteriorated rapidly after the corporal punishment.
“After the punishment, he felt severe pain in his neck and back and could not stand up,” he said.
She added that when she confronted the teacher about her daughter’s situation, the teacher justified the punishment and claimed it was necessary because parents complained about educational standards despite paying fees.
“I told the teacher that punishing students does not mean forcing them to do sit-ups with bags on their backs. The teacher gave my daughter inhumane punishment, which caused her death,” he said.
The incident triggered public outrage and renewed interest in the use of corporal or punitive discipline, which remains illegal in Indian schools but appears to persist in some institutions. In this case, campaigners said the punishment was “inhumane” given the child’s condition and the nature of the exercise.
Parents and advocates are demanding stricter monitoring of school discipline and greater accountability of teachers and administrators. Local party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has warned that the school will not be allowed to reopen until a criminal case is registered.
