Six-Year-Old Girl Brutally Assaulted Inside Haryana School; Family Alleges Gross Negligence, FIR Registered
In a shocking incident that has raised serious concerns over student safety in schools, a six-year-old girl with special needs was allegedly brutally assaulted by an eight-year-old boy inside a classroom at a government school in Panchkula, Haryana, on October 28.
Taking serious note of the incident, the Haryana government has ordered a detailed investigation and constituted a five-member committee to examine the circumstances surrounding the assault. Meanwhile, police have registered an FIR against the school administration for alleged negligence. The Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (HSCPCR) has also taken suo motu cognisance of the matter.
The victim suffered serious injuries and was admitted to the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh. She is currently out of danger, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Panchkula) Aditi Singh confirmed.
A purported video of the incident, which has gone viral on social media, shows the boy allegedly pulling the girl’s hair and repeatedly banging her head against a classroom desk. Even after she falls to the floor, he reportedly continues the assault by kicking her and striking her with an object resembling a brick.
Following the incident, the state government announced that it would bear the entire medical expenses of the injured child. It has also decided to undertake a comprehensive safety audit of schools across Haryana to strengthen child protection measures.
Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda said the government would take a strict view of any negligence that puts children’s safety at risk. He expressed concern over the girl’s condition and assured her family of the government’s full support.
The five-member inquiry panel will be headed by the Additional Deputy Commissioner and include the District Education Officer, District Child Protection Officer, a police representative nominated by the Commissioner of Police, and a special educator or child psychologist. The panel has been given seven days to submit its findings.
The HSCPCR has separately sought a detailed explanation from the Panchkula District Education Officer regarding the incident. The commission wants to know how classroom supervision was maintained, which staff members were assigned responsibility for the students and what immediate action the school took after the girl was injured.
The commission has also sought information about the first aid provided, the arrangements made to shift the child to hospital, communication with her family and the subsequent medical treatment. It has demanded the school’s duty roster, attendance register, available CCTV footage and other relevant records.
The commission has emphasised that the safety of children within school premises is a matter of utmost importance and directed the authorities to submit a factual report along with an Action Taken Report without delay.
Police officials said the eight-year-old boy is being examined by experts through a psychological assessment in accordance with the Juvenile Justice Act. Further action will depend on the outcome of the assessment.
DCP Aditi Singh said the police investigation had revealed alleged negligence on the part of the school administration, following which an FIR was registered under relevant provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
She further stated that a standard operating procedure (SOP) would be introduced for schools in Panchkula. Police will also organise awareness programmes for teachers and students to promote a safer school environment.
Meanwhile, the victim’s uncle has accused the school authorities of serious lapses in supervision. He alleged that although CCTV cameras were installed inside the classrooms, no one was monitoring the footage when the assault took place.
According to the family, the incident came to light when the auto-rickshaw driver, who regularly dropped the girl at school and brought her home, arrived to pick her up but could not locate her.
The driver subsequently informed the family, following which the girl’s father rushed to the school. The uncle claimed that the boy involved in the assault told the father that some children had beaten the girl and that she was lying inside the classroom.
The family also alleged that several teachers had been assigned duties elsewhere on the day of the incident. The assault reportedly took place between 3 pm and 3:15 pm, while the school principal had allegedly left around 3 pm.
Questioning the absence of supervision, the uncle said the CCTV cameras could be monitored from the principal’s office, but no one was present there at the time.
He further alleged that when the family reached the school, the classroom was locked and it took nearly two hours to bring the injured girl out.
The child was initially taken to a private hospital in Panchkula before being referred to the Civil Hospital in Sector 6. She was subsequently shifted to PGIMER, Chandigarh, for specialised treatment.
Expressing anguish over the incident, the girl’s uncle said the family did not want any other child to suffer a similar experience, stressing the urgent need for accountability and stronger safety measures in schools.
