In a shocking incident, a woman teacher allegedly lighted camphor over the foot of eight Class IV children for poor academic performance and has been suspended and arrested, police said on Friday.
Vaijayanthi, working as a teacher in a government-run primary school in Pali, allegedly lighted camphor over the foot of eight children to "discipline" them so that they would study well.
"The incident occured yesterday (Thursday) and a complaint was lodged with us today. After an inquiry, we have arrested the woman teacher and she has been remanded to judicial custody," Ulundurpet Dy Superintendent of Police K Radhakrishnan said.
"We have registered a case for voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous means and for causing cruelty to children under the Juvenile Justice Act," he told PTI.
"She said she lighted camphor in good faith to discipline them as it had given results in past," he said, adding the teacher pushed away the camphor placed over the foot of children after a while.
Image: Vaijanthi
Following the incident, agitated parents staged a demonstration briefly near the school and one of them lodged a complaint with police following which she was arrested.
Also, the educational department officials conducted an inquiry and have placed the woman teacher under suspension.
Another teacher was also being quizzed in connection with the incident, police said.