Teacher assault whiff in Amethi teen’s death

Speaking to The Indian Express, Vinamra’s father said English teacher Kesari Shukla was infuriated when Vinamra did not stand to greet him as he entered class. “He caught Vinamra by the neck and forced him to stand on the bench. He also abused and humiliated my son,” Tripathi added.

He further said that the teenager left school after the class. “He called me up around 10.20am and narrated the incident. His roommates told me Vinamra was not feeling well,” he said.

Tripathi, a resident of Pure Jiyan Tiwari village in Pratapgarh district, said he left for Amethi immediately and asked Vinamra’s roommates to take his son to a local clinic. “On reaching the clinic, I found him unconscious and rushed him to Pratapgarh district hospital. He was referred to SRN Medical College in Allahabad, but I had to take my son to a private hospital as there was no neurosurgeon available at the medical college,” he added.

Tripathi said Vinamra was declared dead on July 7 and a neurosurgeon cited brain haemorrhage as the cause. “During treatment, doctors said Vinamra could show positive signs on seeing the teacher concerned. I called up the principal and asked him to send Shukla, but no one turned up,” he added.

Tripathi later went to the college to lodge a complaint, but another teacher Vijay Lakshmi Singh allegedly threatened him with serious consequences. The victim’s father has also requested that an FIR be lodged against Vijay Lakshmi.

Amethi DM Jagat Raj said he had forwarded the complaint to police and asked them to take action. Circle officer Ravi Chaturvedi said they were collecting the boy’s medical reports seek opinion from experts.

District Inspector of School O P Tripathi said he had sought an explanation from college principal Naval Kishore Singh. Once it is submitted, a committee would be formed to probe the matter.

Principal Singh said he had questioned Shukla and other students. “The students said Vinamra remained seated when Shukla entered the class. Shukla asked him to show respect whenever a teacher entered, but he did not indulge in assault or misbehaviour. We have no idea what happened after Vinamra left school,” claimed Singh.