La Martiniere Bans Corporal Punishment

Stung by criticism triggered by the suicide of 13-year-old Rouvanjit Rawla, allegedly due to the caning meted out to him by the school principal, the Board of Governors of Kolkata’s prestigious La Martiniere school Friday announced that they have banned corporal punishment on campus.

Amending the service rules with immediate effect, the board have warned violators with halt in increments, promotions and even removal and suspension, reported PTI news agency, attributing the information to Lt Gen (retd) J.R. Mukherjee, a member of the governing body.

Rouvanjit, a class eight student, was found hanging in his home on February 13, less than a week after the caning incident. His father, Ajay Rawla, and the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) have accused school principal Sunirmal Chakravarthi of humiliating the young scholar, driving him to the extreme step.

Investigating into the incident, the Kolkata police Thursday began questioning students and teachers at the school.

Speaking to a TV news channel earlier this week, Chakravarthi said that he was not aware that caning was illegal and added that the school believed in the “need to correct children and we need to punish them in a fair manner, in a compassionate way.”