Daijiworld Media Network – Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam, Aug 21: A six-year-old boy died inside a classroom at a private school here after he was allegedly slapped by a teacher, police said.

The incident came to light after a video purportedly showing the incident went viral on Thursday. The child, a kindergarten student, was reportedly standing near the teacher's desk along with other students while his homework was being checked.

According to the video, the boy appeared distressed and was crying. The teacher was seen handling his uniform before allegedly pulling him closer and slapping him. The child remained standing briefly before suddenly collapsing unconscious onto the teacher's lap.

The teacher and others subsequently attempted to revive the boy. School staff rushed him to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

A police official said the child collapsed in the classroom following the alleged assault and later died.

Following the incident, the boy's family members staged a protest. They alleged that the child suffered a fatal collapse after experiencing extreme panic and distress following the alleged assault.

Andhra Pradesh Education Minister Nara Lokesh expressed deep distress over the incident and said legal action would be taken against those responsible, as well as the school management.

Lokesh conveyed his condolences to the boy's parents and assured them that the government would extend all possible support.

The School Education Department also described the incident as extremely unfortunate and said the government was treating the matter seriously.

Officials from the department conducted an inquiry immediately after the incident and submitted a preliminary report. Based on the report, the government has constituted a three-member committee to conduct a detailed examination.

The committee comprises the Visakhapatnam Regional Joint Director, District Education Officer and Revenue Divisional Officer.

The department also said sensitisation programmes would be conducted to ensure teachers handle students with greater sensitivity, responsibility and compassion.

A case has been registered under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which deals with cases of suspicious death.