Dalit student beaten to death by teacher for allegedly touching water pot meant for upper caste people

In a shocking incident in the Jalore district of Rajasthan, a minor Dalit student died on Saturday after being allegedly beaten up by his teacher for touching a drinking water pot.

Jalore: A minor Dalit student died on Saturday after being allegedly beaten up by his teacher in a private school for allegedly touching a drinking water pot meant for people from the upper caste in the Jalore district of Rajathan. Police said that the teacher Chail Singh (40) has been arrested and charged with murder and sections of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

According to police the deceased, a student of a private school in Surana village of the district was slapped by the teacher on July 20 and succumbed to his injuries on Saturday. Superintendent of Police of Jalore Harsh Vardhan Agarwalla said that the boy was badly beaten up adding that the reason behind the assault-touching a drinking water pot- is yet to be probed.

"We have filed a case against the teacher, Chail Singh, under section 302 of the IPC and the SC/ST Act and have arrested him," he said. The father of the deceased alleged that the child was almost unconscious after suffering injuries to his face and ear at the hands of his teacher.

"He remained admitted at the hospital in Udaipur for about a week, but seeing no improvement, we took him to Ahmedabad. But his condition did not improve even there and he finally succumbed on Saturday," he said. Following the incident, the state education department has started an inquiry. Rajasthan SC Commission chairman Khiladi Lal Bairwa stated in an order that it be taken up under the case officer's scheme for fast investigation.

Describing the incident as "tragic", Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot tweeted "The death of a student due to assault by a teacher in a private school in the Sayla police station area of Jalore is tragic. An arrest has been made against the accused teacher by registering a case under sections of the murder and SC/ST Act."

He also said that the family members of the deceased will be provided financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. "The case has been taken up under the Case Officer Scheme for speedy investigation of the case and speedy punishment to the guilty. Justice will be ensured to the victim's family at the earliest. An assistance amount of Rs 5 lakh will be given to the kin of the deceased from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund," Gehlot stated in another tweet.

Condemning the incident Bhim Army chief Chandra Sekhar Azad stated in a tweet in Hindi " The country is celebrating the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. On the other hand, on touching the pot of water, he was beaten so much that he lost his life."

"Even after 75 years of independence, a 9-year-old Dalit child had to be a victim of casteism in Jalore. We do not even have the freedom to touch the water pot! Then why are you beating the false slogan of freedom?" he added.