Student dies after slap by teacher for stepping out of hostel without permission to collect dry fruits from father

Burwan (Murshidabad): A Class VIII student who stepped out to get dry fruits brought by his father has died after he was slapped by a teacher for leaving the school hostel beyond the permissible hours.

Shamim Mullick, 13, a student of Al-Islamia Mission at Dakbangla village in Murshidabad, had left the unguarded hostel after 7pm on being called by his father to a bus stop around 100 metres from the facility. Students are not supposed to step out of the hostel without permission after 7pm.

Some of his hostelmates said that around an hour after he returned, art teacher Hanif Sheikh, who stays in the hostel and is in charge of Class VIII boarders, called Shamim to his room and admonished him. The hostelmates said they heard the sound of slapping and moments later, Hanif rushed out of his room with Shamim in his arms.

“Shamim was unconscious. We sprinkled water on him but he did not regain consciousness,” a student said, adding that the teacher came to know from some students that Shamim had gone out.

Hanif and school owner Shahajad Alam have been arrested on the basis of a police complaint by the boy’s father, bus driver Julhas Mullick. The art teacher has been booked for murder, the police said. Police sources said Shahajad was arrested because Julhas had accused him of negligence.

Julhas alleged that although the block hospital was just 6km from the school, Shamim was taken there around two hours after the incident.

Some inmates said Shahajad and Hanif left the hostel with an unconscious Shamim on the school owner’s motorbike around 9.30pm. According to records at the hospital, where the student was declared dead on arrival, Shamim was brought there around 11pm. Police sources said the duo were being asked why it took them so long to cover 6km on a bike.

Block medical officer of health Sauvik Das said: “The boy had an injury on and around his left ear. He was dead when he was brought to the hospital.”

A surgeon attached to Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital, Nefaur Rehman, said: “It is possible that death can occur, though rarely, after a vasovagal attack (a disorder that causes a rapid drop in heart rate and blood pressure, resulting in decreased blood flow to the brain and fainting) after being hit on or near the ear. This happens more among minors.”

Julhas, 42, said he had called his son over to the bus stop around 7pm to give him dry fruits and some stationery. “He returned to the hostel. Around midnight, someone from the school called to say he was unwell and had been taken to hospital. He asked me to come fast. I went to the hospital with my wife Shamina Bibi and three relatives. We reached around 12.30am. My son was dead,” said Julhas, a resident of Godapara, 4km from the school.

“We asked the on-duty doctor what had happened and he said my son had been brought dead. The school authorities could not give a satisfactory explanation when I asked them what had happened to my son. Hanif and Shahajad told me Shamim fell ill and collapsed. But I saw finger marks on my son’s face and a swelling under his left ear. We then went to the hostel and found out that he had been hit by the art teacher,” Julhas said.

He said Shamim had taken admission to the school on January 22 and neither he nor his son knew that boarders had to take permission to step out of the hostel after 7pm.

Murshidabad police chief C. Sudhakar said: “Based on the complaint lodged by the father, a murder case has been started and two persons have been arrested.”

The hostel has been closed by the district administration pending an inquiry. This morning, guardians took their wards home.

Around 200 people from Shamim’s village blocked a road near the school for a little over two hours this morning. They left after coming to know that the teacher and the school owner had been arrested.

Al-Islamia Mission was started seven years ago and has 380 students from Classes I to X. Students of Classes V to X have to stay in the hostel.

The Telegraph, Kolkata

Courtesy: ABP News

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