Teacher suspended, FIR registered after Viral Video shows child beaten with Prickly Bush in Rohru School

Shimla, Oct 29,

A shocking incident from Rohru in Shimla district has once again raised questions about child safety in Himachal Pradesh’s government schools. A video that surfaced on social media showed a head teacher thrashing a young student with a prickly bush, triggering widespread outrage and official action.

Taking immediate cognizance, the Education Department has suspended Head Teacher Reena Rathore of Government Primary School Gawana (Centre Kutara), Rohru. As per an office order issued by the Deputy Director of Elementary Education, Shimla, the teacher has been placed under suspension with immediate effect, and her headquarters shifted to the Block Elementary Education Office, Sarahan.

The order described Rathore’s actions as “gross misconduct” under Rule 3(1) of the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964, citing a complete lack of devotion to duty and behavior unbecoming of a government servant. The department further emphasized that the act was a direct violation of Section 17 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, which explicitly bans both corporal punishment and mental harassment of students.

Following the departmental action, police have also registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the teacher under Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, along with Sections 115 and 117 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deal with cruelty and inhuman treatment towards a child.

Condemning the incident, Education Minister Rohit Thakur said such behavior by educators is intolerable in a civilized society.

“The government has zero tolerance toward any form of violence or humiliation against children. FIR has been lodged, and the teacher stands suspended for such inhuman treatment of a small child,” Thakur said.

Officials in the Education Directorate admitted that disciplinary cases against school staff have become alarmingly frequent, ranging from negligence to misconduct. “It’s a serious reflection on how urgently the department needs to reinforce child protection norms and behavioral sensitization among teachers,” a senior official noted.

Meanwhile, legal experts have reminded the public that Section 74 of the Juvenile Justice Act prohibits disclosure of a minor’s identity in any form of media. They have appealed to social media users not to circulate or repost the video without obscuring the child’s face, as such acts may invite legal consequences.

The Education Department has reiterated its commitment to enforce strict disciplinary and legal action in all cases of corporal punishment. It also plans to conduct awareness drives across schools to reinforce child rights, psychological well-being, and teacher accountability as part of a broader initiative to make campuses safer.

Authorities said this incident should serve as a “wake-up call” for all educational institutions to uphold the spirit of the RTE Act and ensure that classrooms remain spaces of trust and learning—not fear.

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