Malappuram: The Kalpakanchery police have registered a case against a schoolteacher after a Class 5 student allegedly suffered a fractured arm when he beat her with a cane inside a classroom at a school in the district.

The case was registered following a complaint by the girl and her family. The incident occurred at Kallingalparamba MSM Higher Secondary School on Thursday.

According to the complaint, the student had been absent from school for a few days due to illness. She was copying class notes she had missed when the teacher, K Balraj, allegedly approached her from behind and struck her on the right hand with a cane, accusing her of not paying attention in class. The family alleged that the blow fractured a bone in her right arm.

The District Educational Officer (DEO) has sought a report from the school authorities regarding the incident.

Meanwhile, the school's headmaster, Mujeeb Rahman, told Onmanorama that the management had initiated disciplinary proceedings against the teacher, including suspension, as the preliminary inquiry revealed lapses on his part. "The school management will take action on Saturday itself," he said.

He said a PTA meeting would be convened on Monday to discuss the issue. "Balraj is a senior teacher in the UP section. There have been several complaints against him from parents. However, there was no written complaint based on which the school could take disciplinary action," he added.

The headmaster said he had submitted a report on the incident to the DEO.

Earlier, speaking to the media, the child said she was writing down the notes given by the teacher when the incident occurred. "I was writing down what Sir had given us. That's when he came from behind and beat me," she said.

"My hand went numb, and I couldn't do anything. Yet the teacher made me continue writing with the same hand," she added. According to the student's mother, the teacher called her after the girl began crying in pain, but tried to downplay the incident.

The teacher later accompanied the girl to her house along with another person. After noticing severe injury marks on her hand, her relatives rushed her to a private hospital in Puthanathani, where doctors confirmed the fracture and provided treatment.

The child and her family also lodged complaints with the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU). Police have registered a case against the teacher and launched an investigation into the incident.