Shimla, Himachal Pradesh - In the Rohru sub-division of Shimla district, three teachers including the headmaster of a government primary school at Khaddapani have been booked in connection with the alleged assault of an eight-year-old Dalit boy. The boy’s father, Durga Singh has filed a police complaint stating that the student, in Class 1, was subjected to repeated physical assault over nearly a year and that teachers once placed a scorpion inside his pants.
According to the complaint, headmaster Devendra and teachers Babu Ram and Nitish Thakur allegedly assaulted the boy frequently between October 2024 and October 2025. The father claims that the boy’s ear was made to bleed and his eardrum was damaged during one of the beatings. They intimidated the boy that they will have him arrested and put in serious danger if he complained at home. The father further alleges that the boy was taken to the school toilet, where a scorpion was placed inside his pants as part of the harassment. The teacher, Nitish Thakur is also reportedly teaching in place of his wife, Kritika Thakur who is actually appointed by the government.
The complainant states that caste-based discrimination and untouchability was practised at the school. He alleges that Nepali and Harijan (Dalit) students were made to sit separately from Rajput students during meals. He also says the boy’s family was threatened by the teachers on October 30th, if they attempted to report the abuse: the headmaster allegedly said, “We will burn you,” and warned against posting about it on social media.
Police have registered a case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita including wrongful confinement and voluntarily causing hurt. The teachers are also being investigated under the Juvenile Justice Act for cruelty toward a child and under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for caste-related offences. A communication has been sent to senior officers to determine whether a gazetted officer should lead the investigation.
Children who experience repeated physical abuse, intimidation and discrimination are at increased risk of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, behavioral and emotional problems.
A systematic review of school-aged children in India found that depression was the most prevalent issue, followed by emotional and behavioral difficulties.1
Experts note that abuse in school settings especially when combined with threat and fear can lead to long-term psychological injury, reluctance to attend school, social withdrawal and impaired academic functioning.
This case is not isolated in the Rohru area. Local reports include another recent incident in which a 12-year-old Dalit boy allegedly died by suicide after being locked in a cowshed by upper-caste women. The persistent nature of abuse and discrimination in educational institutions in such regions has raised concerns among human rights groups and child welfare organisations.
Authorities say the investigation is ongoing. The local police will determine the scope of inquiry and whether a gazetted officer will take over. No medical or psychological report about the child’s current state has been disclosed publicly so far.
Reference:
1. Balamurugan, G., Sanjay Sevak, Kusum Gurung, and M. Vijayarani. 2024. “Mental Health Issues Among School Children and Adolescents in India: A Systematic Review.” Cureus 16 (5): e61035. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11194636/
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