A 34-year-old 'Sunday School' teacher was arrested on Monday, for branding a 5-year-old boy for talking abusively to her in the class at an Erukancherry church in Chennai.

The boy was taken to a private hospital and treated. An investigating officer told TOI, “The marks made by the ruler were visible on his hands and cheeks and other children also witnessed the incident.”

Jessy, the teacher was teaching in the slums for the past five years. She was taking classes for children aged 5-14 years. Every Sunday, she used to teach them hymns and helped them study the Bible.

Police said that on November 2, the 5-year-old-child was giggling with his friends in the class. Jessy told the child to listen to what she was teaching. The child apparently spoke back abusively to her.

According to police, first she hit the child with a steel ruler and later heated it and branded his cheeks and hands. She then sent him out of the class, as stated in TOI report.

The child went home and informed his father, an autorickshaw driver about the incident. His father took up the issue with the church officials. He later filed a complaint at the Kodungaiyur police station.

Jessy was arrested, and she confessed that she had beaten the child in the class and apologised to her parents. She was later released on bail.