T.N. SHRC recommends action against government schoolteacher in Sivaganga for forcing student to do 600 sit-ups

Girl falls ill after performing sit-ups: SHRC recommends action against teacher

The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) on Thursday recommended to the Tamil Nadu government to pay a compensation of ₹2 lakh to the mother of girl student, who developed severe ailment in her spine after her teacher forced her to do sit-ups (thoppukaranam) 10 days after she attained puberty.

SHRC member V. Kannadasan recommended to the State government to recover the compensation to be paid to the complainant from the respondent. The Commission also recommended departmental action against the teacher. The girl was studying Class VII student when the incident occurred in October 2017.

According to the complainant, V. Pandiselvi, her daughter was studying in S.S. Kottai Government Higher Secondary School in Sivaganga district. Her teacher Chitra forced her to perform 200 sit-ups ( thoppukaranams ) on October 24, 2017, and 400 sit-ups ( thoppukaranams ) the following day as punishment for not having done the project work.

When the girl was forced to perform sit-ups, she fell down and she came home with the help of her friend through bicycle. The complainant said the girl had attained puberty only 10 days before the incident. Because of such forcible sit-ups, she developed severe stomach pain and there was heavy bleeding, besides vomiting and diarrhoea and severe fever, the complainant said.

The girl was admitted to Government Sivaganga Medical College Hospital and spent six days in the ICU ward. She was admitted to a private hospital in Karaikudi on November 21, 2017. The medical documents produced mentioned mild diffuse posterior disc bulge indenting thecal sac in the patient. In her plea, the complainant sought action against the respondent. During the hearing, the respondent did not appear before the Commission.

In its order, the Commission said the mother of the victim girl was entitled to receive compensation for violation of human rights by the respondent.