8-year-old gets bail in Haryana school attack; viral videos to be taken down

The incident at a government school in Panchkula prompted the Haryana government to constitute a five-member committee to examine the circumstances surrounding the assault.

The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) in Panchkula, Haryana, on Wednesday granted bail to the eight-year-old boy accused of assaulting a six-year-old kindergarten student at a government school and directed the removal of videos and photos of the incident from social media.

The direction came after the girl’s father filed a petition under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, seeking the removal of videos and photographs of the incident to protect the minor’s identity.

The boy’s father had moved the bail application during the hearing before the Board. His counsel, Manbir Singh Rathi, submitted that the child had no previous criminal record and that continued custody could adversely affect his education, academic progress and overall development.

The bail application also stated that the parents would provide the child with appropriate counselling, behavioural guidance and a supportive family environment to help him understand the consequences of his actions and reform. They undertook to ensure that he attends counselling sessions and undergoes rehabilitation measures as advised by the competent authority, through an application filed by the counsel.

Girl discharged from PGIMER

The incident occurred on October 28 inside an empty classroom at a government school in Panchkula. The boy, a Class 3 student, allegedly attacked the six-year-old kindergarten student with a brick, repeatedly hitting her on the head, banging her against a bench, dragging her by her school tie and kicking her multiple times until she fell unconscious. The girl suffered multiple injuries and was rushed to PGIMER, Chandigarh, where she remained hospitalised until her discharge on Wednesday.

The boy was produced before the Board on Saturday and subsequently sent to an observation home in Ambala.

The incident triggered widespread outrage and prompted the government to constitute a five-member committee to examine the circumstances surrounding the assault. The government also ordered a comprehensive safety audit of schools across the state to identify security gaps.