Madras HC fines school teacher Rs 50,000 for pinching student's cheek

The Madras high court has imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 for pinching her student's cheek as a punishment. The order was issued by the first bench of HC comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M Sathyanarayanan.

In 2012, Rama Gowri, a teacher at Kesari higher secondary school in Mylapore, pinched the cheek of a class VII boy for not doing his homework and he sustained minor injuries.

After Meharunnisa, the boy's mother, took the matter to the State Human Rights Commission, there were several proceedings besides a criminal case filed against the teacher.

During the hearing before NHRC, the teacher reportedly claimed that she had only twisted the boy’s ears. Her argument was that the boy's cheek was injured when he tried to move away while she was holding his ear.

In May 2013, the commission imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 on the Mylapore school for violation of human rights. But the boy's mother decided to appeal the Madras HC, complaining of the school management for delaying the issuance of transfer certificate and demanding an increase in the quantum of compensation .

She had also filed a fresh complaint against the teacher before a magistrate court in the city.

Meanwhile, calling all these multiple proceedings a harassment, the teacher moved HC seeking help. However, on Thursday, HC ordered the teacher to pay a compensation/fine of Rs 50,000 and approach the judicial magistrate court, Saidapet where the case was pending against her.