Kollam: A Class 7 student was allegedly assaulted by her tuition teacher after she made mistakes while reading at a tuition centre in Karukone, Alayamon, in Anchal on Friday. Anchal police have registered a case against Sufiyan, a teacher at Focus Tutorial, which operates opposite Karukone Higher Secondary School.

According to the FIR, the incident occurred around 3.45 pm on Friday, while the 12-year-old girl was attending tuition at the centre. The teacher allegedly asked her to read from a text. When she was unable to do so, he beat her legs with a cane.

Even after the girl told him that she would read and learn, the teacher allegedly struck various parts of her legs five or six times, causing swelling and bruising. He also allegedly threatened her, saying, “You can leave this place only after you have read and learned it.”

The family said the teacher became angry when the girl mispronounced some words while reading and then beat both her legs with a cane. The child returned home crying after the tuition class and told her parents what had happened. The mother also alleged that the teacher had assaulted her son two days earlier.

Anchal police SHO Monish told Onmanorama that the teacher was absconding. The principal of Focus Tutorial appeared at the police station on Saturday morning to give her statement. She said she was not present at the institution when the incident occurred.

Anchal police registered a case based on the family's complaint under Sections 118(1) and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. An investigation is underway.