Gujarat Boy Hit By Teacher Over 'Love You' Note To Classmate, Then A Rs 25 Lakh Claim

A Class 4 student was allegedly beaten by his school's teacher and principal after he passed a handwritten note saying 'I love you' to a girl in his class in Gujarat's Ahmedabad.

The incident took place on September 19, when the girl handed her teacher the note, saying that it had been tossed at her by the boy. According to school accounts, the girl was crying and complained of persistent teasing and harassment by a group of boys during school hours.

The director of the Bright English School, Indrajit Maurya, said that the teacher - identified as Seema Goswami - initially tore the note, reprimanded the young boy and counselled him. However, as the girl remained distressed, the matter was taken up with the principal - who called the boy's mother.

While the boy's mother left after having a conversation with the staff, she returned shortly after with family members, alleging that her child had been severely beaten and was bruised. The family then called an emergency ambulance and took the boy to the L G Hospital for a medical examination before approaching the authorities.

The boy's family subsequently filed a complaint with the Ramol Police Station, accusing the management and staff of severe physical abuse. Acting on the complaint, police registered a case against Goswami and Maurya.

Refuting the physical assault allegations, Maurya stated that CCTV footage shows the boy leaving the administrative office in healthy condition and running through the hallways. "The claim that he was beaten black and blue is entirely false," Maurya said, adding that the school has nevertheless suspended teacher Goswami pending a full investigation to ensure transparency.

The school director further levied serious counter-allegations against the boy's family, claiming they attempted to extort money under threat of police action. "They initially demanded 25 lakhs to settle the matter without going to the police, which was later brought down to 5 lakhs," Maurya alleged. 

He stated that while the school offered to waive the child's tuition fees to protect the institution's reputation, the boy's family refused.

Police noted that while preliminary medical checks showed no major physical injuries, officials are collecting CCTV footage, examining school records, and recording statements from witnesses and students to determine the facts of the case.