Panipat School Principal, Driver Arrested for Corporal Punishment; School Sealed

Viral videos purportedly showing the principal of a private school in Panipat abusing pupils, including hanging one child upside down, brought the school under scrutiny. In relation to the incident, the cab driver at the school was also taken into custody.

While members of the Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC), including Justice Lalit Batra, Kuldip Jain, and Deep Bhatia, as well as Dr. Puneet Arora, met with local officials to guarantee prompt action, the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) went to the school to provide the victims with counseling. 

Authorities verified that the school had been functioning without a legitimate government board affiliation or recognition. The management persisted in operating the school after receiving a closure notice on May 30, which led to the Education Department's decision to permanently close it.

During a morning inspection, a team led by the District Education Officer (DEO) Rakesh Boora and District Elementary Education Officer (DEEO) Subhash Chander Bhardwaj found a teacher and 11 children present. The school premises were subsequently sealed.

The incident reportedly occurred in August, but parents became aware of it only after videos surfaced online, showing the principal assaulting multiple students. The accused were produced in court and sent to two-day police custody.

Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda assured that “strict legal action will be taken against the offenders,” while SP Bhupender Singh confirmed the formation of a special investigation team led by DSP (Headquarters) Satish Vats to probe the case. “Violence against children will not be tolerated at any cost,” he said. The swift action highlights the government’s zero-tolerance approach toward corporal punishment and the operation of unaffiliated schools, ensuring the safety and well-being of children in Haryana.