New Delhi: Following a shocking incident that was captured on video and went viral, a schoolteacher in Uttar Pradesh is the subject of an intense investigation.
The boy is shown crying and standing helplessly in the video, which was shot at a school in Muzaffarnagar. The boy’s teacher, Tripta Tyagi, who also serves as the school’s principal, is heard making offensive comments. The teacher is seen in the video pleading with the class to physically correct their Muslim classmate for allegedly not doing his homework.
Tyagi of Neha Public School declares, “I have made a proclamation—all Muslim children should be subjected to discipline. As the students follow the teacher’s instructions, the video captures the distressing sounds of hard slaps being applied. Tyagi prods the students, challenging the seriousness of their actions and even urging them to deliver more brutal blows, which heightens the ominous atmosphere.
The young victim was reportedly forced to stay standing throughout the ordeal, which included hours of humiliation and physical abuse, according to his father’s statement to the police.
The boy’s father breaks down as he describes the terrifying incident: “My son is only seven years old. My child was the victim of repeated acts of violence planned by the teacher and carried out by his own peers. The video was recorded by my nephew, who just happened to be there. This tortured my innocent child for a very long time. He is now overcome with fear. It is crucial to make clear that this goes beyond a simple Hindu-Muslim conflict. Nothing less than a just legal course of action is what we seek.
The traumatic experience has left the young boy extremely traumatised.
The family initially chose not to report the incident, but after the video became widely known, law enforcement stepped in and an official case was filed.
The District Magistrate of Muzaffarnagar, Arvind Mallappa, gave insight into the ongoing investigation and the steps taken, saying, “We have carried out a thorough investigation into the matter. Charges have been filed against the accused teacher in response to the father of the accused child’s formal complaint. Departmental actions are being taken against her at the same time. Additionally, we are offering the affected child and his family counselling support.
The accused principal, Tripta Tyagi, has argued that the video was manipulated in order to minimise her actions. “Religious harmony is vital to our school. Our student body includes a sizable number of Muslims. I made a general comment in the video, advising Muslim mothers against allowing their children to visit their maternal uncles in light of impending exams because the child had failed to turn in his homework on the day in question. Unfortunately, this context was misrepresented, according to Tyagi.
She stated, “Pressure from the child’s parents to enforce discipline was mounting,” citing additional factors. I orchestrated the participation of specific students to administer mild disciplinary measures in order to encourage better study habits because of my physical limitations.
Tyagi apologised and said, “My intentions were not at all malicious. All of my students are dear to my heart, and I treat them as my own children. I fully acknowledge that I was wrong. However, I find it disappointing that this incident escalated unnecessarily. I want to let our political leaders know that, although regrettable, this incident was only a small matter. It is strange that people like Rahul Gandhi have decided to use social media to spread word of this incident. Such excessive focus on trivial issues interferes with the learning environment.
The incident has caused political unrest, with the Congress party criticising the BJP, which is in power in Uttar Pradesh. Speaking on the subject, Deputy Chief Minister Brijesh Pathak stated, “We have taken due cognizance of the incident and shall take comprehensive measures in response.”
Nitin Jain
Morningglobe
