Blind students` caning: NHRC sends notice to Andhra Pradesh govt

Zee Media Bureau Hyderabad: The director and principal of a school for blind in Andhra Pradesh will be produced before a court on Tuesday, a day after they were arrested for beating up their students. In the meantime, the Education Department has taken over the school where the incident occurred. The National Human Rights Commission has also sent a notice to the Andhra Pradesh government over the matter. The arrests were made after parents of the children staged a protest and attacked the Greenfield residential school for blind at Thimmapuram near Kakinada in East Godavari district and the district collector ordered a probe into the incident, which came to light after four days. The national child rights panel has sought a report from the Andhra Pradesh government on the brutal beating up of blind students by their teachers. Video clips of school director KV Rao and principal Srinivasulu caning the blind children were released to the media on Monday, leading to an outrage. Rao admitted that they beat up three students for making noise. He even defended the action by saying punishment is necessary for those making noise. The director himself is blind and was seen mercilessly caning the children with the help of Srinivasulu, who was holding the students. The clips showed the children pleading to spare them but the duo showed no mercy.