A disturbing incident of alleged physical abuse by a school teacher has surfaced from Chhattisgarh’s Rajnandgaon district, where a Class 7 student reportedly suffered severe hearing damage after being slapped multiple times in class. The accused teacher has been arrested following prolonged efforts by the victim’s family.

Incident took place over a minor classroom delay

The incident dates back to July 2, 2025, at a private school in Dongargarh. The victim, 13-year-old Sarthak Sahare, had reportedly failed to take out his textbook on time during a social science class. When the teacher, identified as Priyanka Singh, asked him to open his book, the student requested her to repeat the instruction as he could not hear clearly.

This reportedly angered the teacher, who then slapped the student three to four times in quick succession.

Severe injury leads to hearing loss

According to the student’s family, the impact of the slaps caused serious internal injury to both ears. After returning home, Sarthak complained that he could no longer hear properly. Alarmed by his condition, the family rushed him to a local government hospital in Dongargarh.

Doctors initially detected internal ear damage and referred him to the district hospital in Rajnandgaon, and later to a private medical facility in Raipur. Medical examination revealed that his hearing ability had been reduced by nearly 70 to 80 percent. Though he was later discharged, he continues to face hearing difficulties and may require long-term treatment.

Family alleges prolonged struggle for justice

The victim’s father stated that the family had been seeking justice for nearly nine months before any action was taken. He alleged that the school management attempted to suppress the incident and did not provide any assistance for the child’s treatment.

The family also expressed disappointment over the lack of accountability from the institution and demanded strict action against the accused teacher, including suspension and financial support for medical expenses.

Other students support allegations

Another student from the school claimed that the teacher had a history of aggressive behavior and had allegedly hit students in the past as well. According to her, many children remained silent out of fear and did not report such incidents earlier.

Police action and arrest

Following a review of pending cases by senior police officials, the matter was revisited. Acting on the complaint, local police arrested the accused teacher. Authorities confirmed that the case had been pending for months before being acted upon.

School management responds

The school administration stated that teachers are regularly instructed not to use physical punishment. The management added that appropriate action would be taken if the teacher is found guilty.