Palghar, Maharashtra, November 17, 2025: In a deeply disturbing incident that has sparked widespread outrage, 13-year-old Anshika Gaud, a Class 6 student at Shree Hanumat Vidya Mandir in Sativali, Vasai tehsil of Palghar district, died last week after allegedly being forced to perform 100 sit-ups with her school bag as punishment for arriving late to school.
The tragic punishment occurred on November 8, 2025 when Anshika, along with four other students, allegedly made to perform 100 sit-ups for arriving late to school.
According to her family, the punishment was administered with her school bag on, making the physical strain even more severe.
Following the punishment, Anshika began experiencing severe symptoms. "After the punishment, she experienced severe pain in her neck and back, and could not get up," family members stated. Her initial symptoms included lower back pain, which progressively worsened.
She was first admitted to a local hospital in Nalasopara, city in the Palghar district of Maharashtra.
As her medical situation became critical, she was transferred to JJ Hospital in Mumbai, where she died around 11 PM on Friday, November 14, 2025 which is celebrated as Children's Day, while undergoing the treatment.
Dr. Karthikeyan, CEO of Dr. FIT, posted on X (formerly Twitter) highlighting the severe physiological dangers of such punishments, calling it "abuse with fatal physiological consequences."
According to Dr. Karthikeyan, even 30–40 rapid sit-ups can push a child into:
Rhabdomyolysis
Acute kidney injury (AKI)
Severe electrolyte imbalance
Risk of cardiac arrest
Rhabdomyolysis is a clinical syndrome characterized by skeletal muscle breakdown and the release of intracellular components into the bloodstream. This process can lead to systemic complications, including acute kidney injury (AKI). 1
He emphasized that rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney injury don't always manifest immediately. "Muscle breakdown can silently worsen over hours to days, and complications like electrolyte imbalance or kidney injury often peak later. The timeline doesn't make it any less dangerous, it actually shows how delayed and deceptive the damage can be."
Dr. Karthikeyan further noted that WHO and UNICEF guidelines clearly state that corporal punishment increases physical harm, mental trauma, and long-term dropout rates by 30–40%. "Schools need trained counselors, not punitive drills, and teachers need mandatory child-safety training. This is not an accident, it's a systemic failure," he stated.
Adding to the tragedy, Shree Hanumat Vidya Mandir is alleged to be operating without proper civic permissions. A local activist revealed that the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) had installed a board at the school's entrance stating that the building did not have permission to run an educational institution. However, the school management reportedly covered this board with their own signboard to hide the warning and continue enrolling students.
Furthermore, the school has permission to hold classes only till Class 8, not for students of Class 9 and 10, yet these classes were also being conducted. School management confirmed this practice.
Education officer Padurang Galange stated that this practice is illegal and added that action would be taken. He noted that many schools in the Vasai-Virar belt enroll students in this manner and then transfer them to schools with proper permissions for Classes 9 and 10.
Anshika's mother described the punishment as "inhuman" and confronted the teacher, who justified the act citing parental complaints about teaching standards. A local MNS functionary, Sachin More, claimed the girl had asthma or a breathing issue and could not bear the punishment given to her.
A school official, Vikas Yadav, stated that the institution was willing to accept its fault if the post-mortem report confirmed that the punishment led to her death.
The Waliv Police Station has lodged an accidental death report. Police officers stated they are awaiting the post-mortem report before deciding on recording statements and taking further action.
The state's Vasai officer, Padurang Galange, said authorities were gathering all details.
Local workers of MNS and NCP (SP) have protested against the incident, demanding action against the school and its authorities and teachers involved. NCP (SP) functionary Rohit Sasane demanded that school authorities be booked.
The investigation is ongoing, and further details are awaited pending the official post-mortem report.
Reference:
1. Rout P, Chippa V, Adigun R. Rhabdomyolysis. [Updated 2025 Jul 7]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448168/
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