Headmaster, teacher held for boy's death in Karnataka

"Headmaster Ganesh Hebbar and physical instructor K.D. Naik of New English School have been arrested under section 304 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for allegedly forcing their ward Afzal Hamza Koya to run around the ground for reporting late to school," the district's Superintendent of Police Raman Gupta told IANS from Karwar, about 500 km from here.

Afzal, a student of class eight, resumed going to school Monday after a bout of illness, his parents said.

"Though Afzal pleaded for condoning his act of reporting late as he was weak and recovering from illness, Naik asked him to run around the ground three times even when he complained of giddiness after the first round," his parents said in a complaint to the police.

"We are investigating the case after the district administration ordered a magisterial inquiry on the basis of the complaint. We have taken a serious view of the punishment meted out to the boy," Gupta said.

"When the exhausted Afzal fainted and collapsed on the ground during the second round, schools teachers took him to a local hospital where doctors declared him dead," the complaint said.

"The boy was weak and collapsed after he ran two rounds. It is a very unfortunate incident. An inquiry has been ordered against the school for punishing the boy in such a manner," district's Deputy Commissioner B.N. Krishnaiah said.

The school at Honnavar, about 450 km from here, was shut Tuesday after angry protestors, including Afzal's relatives and friends, ransacked its furniture and other materials late Monday.

Police were deployed around the school to prevent any untoward incident.

A grieving mother Abida blamed Hebbar and Naik for her son's untimely death. The school management has declared a compensation of Rs.100,000 to the family.