Unacceptable by any means that a teacher can traumatise a child: Karnataka HC

The high court has dismissed the petition filed by a teacher challenging the proceedings against her under the Indian Penal Code and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. The petitioner, a teacher at a school in the city, is accused of beating and traumatising a five-year-old girl.

"It is unacceptable by any means that a teacher can traumatise a child, be it physical or mental,” Justice M Nagaprasanna said.

The police had registered a case against the teacher on the allegation that she had beaten the child, locked her up in a dark room, and let her out only after two minutes. The teacher had also allegedly removed the pants of the child as means of punishment. The crime was registered in 2017 and the proceedings are pending before the court after the police filed the charge sheet. The teacher challenged the proceedings before the high court.

The action of the teacher was defended contending that it was only to discipline the child. It was submitted that like any other teacher, the petitioner had imposed certain punishment, which cannot be termed as offences under the Pocso Act.

Going through the complaint and the statement by the victim, Justice M Nagaprasanna said the aggression of whatever means of any teacher on the child is unpardonable.

“It must be remembered 'spare the rod and spoil the child' has metamorphosed into 'spare the rod and teach the child'.

"If the act of the petitioner upon the child, which has become an offence punishable under Section 12 of the act for the ingredients of Section 11 (2) of the act is noticed, such act unless otherwise proven by the petitioner in a full-blown trial, is undoubtedly uncouth, unpardonable and unbecoming for a teacher who deals with a girl child of the age of five years,” the court said.