The Uttar Pradesh Police has taken decisive action following a preliminary probe and has formally converted a Non-Cognizable Report (NCR) into a First Information Report (FIR) against a woman teacher in Muzaffarnagar.
The teacher in question, identified as Tripta Tyagi, has been charged under Sections 323 (causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and Section 75 (cruelty against a child) of the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act.
The decision comes in the wake of a shocking video that surfaced earlier, allegedly showing Tripta Tyagi encouraging her students to slap a seven-year-old Muslim classmate. The incident, which has sparked outrage across the nation, was further marred by the teacher’s communal remarks captured in the video.
The Supreme Court of India, taking cognizance of the gravity of the situation, issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh Government on September 6, following a petition by activist Tushar Gandhi. The petition called for a time-bound investigation into the distressing video and the events surrounding it. The Supreme Court Bench, presided over by Justice A.S. Oka, not only demanded a response from the state government but also requested a status report from the police regarding the ongoing investigation.
“Corporal punishment has become rampant in the Indian education system. The appalling and ghastly episode is preceded by a series of instances of violence against students belonging to marginalised communities,” the petition said.
The case came to light when the Muzaffarnagar police initiated legal proceedings against Tripta Tyagi merely a day after the video went viral, causing widespread public condemnation. In the video, she can be heard instructing her students to physically assault a Muslim boy in Khubbapur village. The video captures her making inflammatory and communal remarks directed at the young child.
The State Education Department has also taken note of the disturbing incident and served a notice to the school where Tripta Tyagi was employed. The department is conducting its own inquiries into the matter to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the events leading up to the incident.
