Lakhimpur, Assam:
Eight class VII students of an English medium school in Assam's Lakhimpur were injured when they were allegedly caned by their principal, who was in an inebriated condition.
Sandeswar Miri Barua of Gurudeb Madhaymik English School at Narayanpur Bordeuri village came to school drunk, District Elementary Education Officer Loknath Sarma said.
He caned eight of the boys injuring them, including three seriously, Sarma said, adding Barua had been suspended in the past for going to school drunk.
All the students were admitted to the local public health centre.
Their parents filed an FIR in the Narayanpur police station against Barua, police said.
"No leniency will be shown towards the headmaster and he will be discharged from service. There is a Supreme Court order against corporal punishment in schools," Sarma said.
The recently-enacted Right To Education Act says there should not be any type of corporal punishment in schools and any case of violation will be tried by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights.
The incident comes a week after a class seven student of a private school at Mirza in Kamrup (Rural) district died after he was allegedly beaten up by the principal and computer teacher for not doing his homework.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had ordered a magisterial investigation into the 12-year-old Mausam Raj Mahanta's death.
The principal and the computer teacher are absconding.