Berhampur:
A government schoolteacher in Ganjam district was arrested for allegedly having thrashed a seven-year-old girl student, official sources said on Sunday.
Rita Bramha, was arrested and also placed under suspension on Saturday on charges of causing injury to Sabitri Dakua, a student of Class II of Harisharanpur village in the district last week, they said.
The teacher had allegedly kicked the student in the classroom and pushed her against the wall causing head injury.
"We have arrested the teacher after completion of the inquiry and also obtained the medical report," a senior police officer at Buguda said.
Describing the incident as very serious, child right activists have demanded immediate action against the teacher.
Sanjit Patnaik, secretary of South Orissa Voluntary Action (SOVA), urged the government for enactment of a separate law banning corporal punishment in schools like other states.
Orissa government had banned corporal punishment in schools in 2004.
Meanwhile, it was the third such incident in a week in Orissa. While an 11-year-old student died after being beaten up by a school teacher in Bargarh district, a three-year-old girl was thrashed by an anganwadi worker in Dhenkanal district.