Chhattisgarh High Court Orders Probe into Corporal Punishment Incident at School

Court Demands Affidavit from Education Secretary after Viral Video Shows Child Abused for Not Completing Homework

In a significant legal development, the Chhattisgarh High Court has taken suo moto cognizance of a shocking incident of corporal punishment that came to light through a viral video. The Court has directed the Secretary of the Department of School Education, Government of Chhattisgarh, to submit a personal affidavit regarding the incident by December 9, 2025.

The case pertains to a distressing event where a four-year-old child from Narayanpur village was allegedly tied to a rope and hung from a tree by two teachers, Kajal Sahu and Anuradha Dewangan, for not completing homework. This incident, which occurred in a private school in Surajpur, has sparked widespread outrage after a video of the act was uploaded on social media, prompting immediate intervention from the education department.

The Court, presided over by Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Bibhu Datta Guru, convened a session to address the matter after a report titled "Child tied to rope, hung from tree over homework" was published in The Times of India on November 26, 2025. The judges expressed deep concern over the severity of the punishment and the apparent lack of immediate remedial action from the school authorities.

During the proceedings, Mr. T.K. Jha, representing the intervener, and Mr. Y.S. Thakur, the Additional Advocate General for the State, presented their observations. An investigation was promptly initiated by the local education department, with the Sankul-in-charge conducting an on-site inspection. The initial report concluded that the actions of the teachers were "completely wrong," and a detailed report has been submitted to senior district officials for further action.

Additionally, the District Education Officer has issued a notice to the school management, demanding a response within two days. The outcome of these actions will determine the subsequent measures taken by the education department.

The High Court's directive for the Secretary of the Department of School Education to provide a personal affidavit underscores the gravity of the situation. The Court has scheduled the next hearing for December 9, 2025, to review the affidavit and the progress of the investigation.

This incident has raised critical questions about the safety and well-being of children in educational institutions, prompting demands for stricter regulations and oversight to prevent such occurrences in the future.

Bottom Line:

Corporal punishment in schools - Incident of a four-year-old child being tied to a rope and hung from a tree for not completing homework - Court takes suo moto cognizance based on media report and directs the Secretary, Department of School Education, Government of Chhattisgarh, to file a personal affidavit regarding the issue.

Statutory provision(s): Public Interest Litigation.

In The Matter Of Suo Moto Public Interest Litigation v. State of Chhattisgarh, (Chhattisgarh)(DB) : Law Finder Doc Id # 2813598