A minor boy in Telangana was tied to an electric pole near his house by his own father, because the boy was unwilling to go to school.
The incident took place on Saturday in Kamalapuram village in Bhadrachalam district, and a picture of the tied-up boy has gone viral on social media.
The issue was brought to light after a complaint by the Balala Hakkula Sangham (BHS).
Speaking to TNM, Achyuta Rao from the BHS said, “Once the incident was brought to our notice, we informed the Bhadrachalam Sub-Collector, Pamela Satpathy, immediately. Later we found out that the boy was left in the hot sun for two to three hours.”
“The Sub-Collector said that the boy had not been attending classes for a week, which made his father furious. He is from a tribal family and a Class 6 student in a school located in Kamalapuram,” he added.
While a police team was sent to the village, the Mulakalapalli police confirmed to TNM that no case was registered, and that the child and his parents were let off after they were counselled.
However, Achyuta said that it would be registered soon as the Sub-Collector recommended a case against the father under Section 75 (Punishment for cruelty to child) of the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act.
The BHS is demanding that the child be shifted to a home as he does not have a safe environment at home and with his parents.
“More than the technical aspect of the case, we must look into the reasons for the child not wanting to go to school. Did he have issues with his teachers or peers? That must be probed,” Achyuta said.
He also said that the child required immediate psychological assistance.
“We can’t blame the child if he is not feeling comfortable at school and doesn’t want to go. We must identify the problem first and then see what can be done,” Achyuta added.