Kollam: The state education department has suspended a physical education teacher of Government HSS, Anchalummodu, after he allegedly assaulted a Plus Two student. The incident happened on Tuesday around 3.45 pm, and disciplinary action was initiated the following day. 

Based on the student’s complaint, Anchalummodu police booked the teacher under Sections 126(2) (wrongful restraint) and 118(1) (causing hurt with dangerous weapons) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and Section 75 (cruelty to a child) of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015.

According to the FIR, the accused, Mohammed Rafi, confronted the 16-year-old student for walking slowly. When the boy’s response irritated him, Rafi allegedly asked, “Who do you think you are?” before grabbing the student by the shirt collar in front of the staff room. He then struck the boy’s nose and forehead with a key he was holding, causing a cut on the nose and a contusion on the forehead, the FIR added.

The Circle Inspector of Anchalummodu stated that the boy's injuries were not serious. He added that Rafi, in turn, filed a complaint alleging that the student had attacked him, though a case has yet to be registered on that.

Meanwhile, the school management has suspended the student for six days. Headmistress Sajitha claimed the boy had a history of indiscipline and previous suspensions. She said that on the day of the incident, Rafi intervened when the boy was verbally abusing female students. When warned, the boy allegedly turned on the teacher. As Rafi proceeded to report the matter to the principal, the boy followed and attacked him outside the office. “Rafi fell on the floor and was beaten further. He retaliated as a last resort,” she said.

Rafi, a native of Chithara, Kollam, had joined the school a year ago after a transfer. He was hospitalised after the incident and has since been discharged.

Meanwhile, Swarnamma S, a councillor of Anchalummodu and a standing committee member of the school management, alleged that the school authorities failed to inform the corporation about the incident. "I only learned about the incident when I arrived at the school on Wednesday for another programme," she stated.