In a chilling case of alleged child abuse and caste-based atrocities, three teachers at a government primary school in Shimla's Khaddapani area, Rohru sub-division, have been booked for repeatedly assaulting an eight-year-old Dalit boy over nearly a year. The accused—headmaster Devendra, Babu Ram, and Kritika Thakur—face serious charges following a police complaint filed by the boy's father on Sunday. The Class 1 student's ordeal reportedly included physical beatings severe enough to cause his ear to bleed and damage his eardrum, as well as a horrific incident where the teachers allegedly confined him in the school toilet and placed a live scorpion inside his pants.

The father's complaint details a pattern of intimidation, with the teachers warning the boy that complaints to his family would lead to his arrest. On October 30, the headmaster allegedly threatened expulsion and escalated to violent rhetoric, telling the family, "We will burn you," while cautioning against police reports or social media posts, implying dire personal consequences.

Police have registered a case under Sections 127(2) (wrongful confinement), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, alongside provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act for child cruelty. Additional charges invoke the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, specifically for acts derogatory to human dignity, such as forcible removal of clothes, and crimes against Scheduled Caste members.

Compounding the allegations, the complainant accused Kritika Thakur's husband, Nitish Thakur, of illegally substituting for her in teaching duties for the past year. He further highlighted pervasive caste discrimination at the school, where Nepali and Harijan (Dalit) students are segregated from Rajput peers during meals, fostering an environment of exclusion. Authorities are consulting seniors to determine if a gazetted officer should lead the investigation, underscoring the case's gravity.

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This incident is part of a disturbing trend in Rohru, where educational institutions have become hotspots for violence and bias. Just last week, a teacher at the Government Primary School in Gawana was suspended for beating a student with a prickly bush. More tragically, earlier reports detailed the suicide of a 12-year-old Dalit boy in Limda village after upper-caste women locked him in a cowshed for entering their home. As the probe unfolds, the case has ignited calls for stricter oversight in rural schools to eradicate such entrenched prejudices and protect vulnerable children.

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