MP teacher accused of beating 8-year-old Dalit boy for drinking water from his bottle

An eight-year-old Dalit boy was allegedly attacked by a teacher at a government primary school in Madhya Pradesh’s Shivpuri district on July 28, with the teacher accused of using a cane and caste-based slurs. The incident is said to have occurred because the boy drank water from the teacher’s bottle.

The boy, a student of Class 4 at the school in Ukawal village, under the Kolaras police station area, narrated the ordeal to his parents after returning home. Subsequently, the family filed a complaint, following which an FIR was registered against the teacher, Lokesh Sharma.

Shivpuri Superintendent of Police Yangchen Dolkar Bhutia said the FIR was registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The teacher has been questioned in connection with the case, she added.

According to the complaint, the teacher beat the boy on his hands with a cane and directed racial slurs at him. “The family and the boy have alleged that the incident took place as he drank water from the teacher’s bottle. The teacher, however, is denying the allegation and is saying that he scolded the boy over the homework,” the SP said.

Ms. Bhutia said the police have also recorded the statements of the boy’s classmates. “They are confirming the beating up but are unclear on the reason. We have also looked into the teacher’s record but have not found any such incident or complaint,” she said, adding that the police are probing the case from all angles.

The case highlights concerns over caste-based discrimination in educational institutions, despite constitutional safeguards and laws that prohibit such practices. The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, is designed to prevent atrocities against members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, with provisions for stringent punishment for offenders.

Authorities have assured that a thorough investigation is underway. The teacher has not been arrested so far, and the police are verifying all claims before reaching a conclusion.

The incident has also sparked discussions about the safety and dignity of children from marginalised communities in government schools. Activists and educators emphasise the need for sensitisation of teachers and strict enforcement of existing laws to ensure a non-discriminatory environment in educational spaces.