‘This is barbarity’: Outrage after 7-year-old hung upside down, beaten at school for unfinished homework

A shocking case of child abuse at a private school on Jattal Road in Panipat has triggered public outrage and renewed concerns over student safety and corporal punishment in schools.

Two disturbing videos that surfaced online showed a Class II boy being tied with ropes, hung upside down from a window, and brutally beaten by the school driver. According to the boy’s mother, Doli, her seven-year-old son had recently joined the school when the assault took place.

“My child had just been admitted. Instead of protecting him, the principal called the driver to punish him. They tortured him like a criminal,” Doli alleged.

The driver, identified as Ajay, was also seen slapping the boy, making video calls while abusing him, and even uploading the video online. The footage later reached the child’s family, exposing the shocking abuse.

Police at Model Town station said a case has been registered under serious sections of the IPC and the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015. “Strict action will be taken. Such cruelty against children cannot be tolerated,” a police official stated.

Parents have also alleged that the school often forced children to clean toilets as punishment. Activists argue that the incident highlights systemic failures.

“This is not discipline, this is barbarity. Schools must be held accountable for violating child protection laws,” said child rights activist Meena Sharma.

The Ministry of Education’s guidelines strictly prohibit corporal punishment in schools, yet enforcement remains weak. The incident has fueled demands for urgent reforms to ensure safer learning spaces.