A disturbing case of child assault has emerged from Hyderabad, raising serious concerns about safety inside schools. A four-year-old nursery student at a private school was allegedly brutally beaten by a female staff member, who has since been arrested.
The incident reportedly took place on Saturday when the child was taken to the washroom by the accused. According to the complaint, the helper repeatedly attacked the girl, at one point even trampling on her. A video widely circulated on social media appears to show the woman striking the child, pushing her to the floor, banging her head, and even strangling her. The accused has been identified as 56-year-old Lakshmi and was working in the school for the past 5-6 years.
The victim child and mother recently came from Odisha to Bengaluru.
Police on Sunday said the assault occurred after school hours when the child's mother, who works as a bus conductor at the same school, had gone to drop off the children. Her daughter remained inside the school premises at the time.
According to the police inspector G.Mallesh, the two women did not get along, and Lakshmi may have feared losing her job to the younger staff member, the mother of the four-year-old girl. This alleged rivalry is believed to have triggered the violent assault. The attack was captured on camera by a neighbour.
He added, "I was shocked by the brutality. Actually thought of my own son who is about the same age. How safe is he in school?"
Following a complaint by the child's parents, a criminal case was registered, and the accused was taken into custody. The police inspector added that no other parents have reported similar assaults and suggested that this appears to be an isolated incident.
An investigation is currently underway.
