Pune: A sessions court at Khed has acquitted a teacher of a boarding school at Alandi of the charges of attempted murder and culpable homicide not amounting to murder in connection with the death of an 11-year-old Standard V student allegedly due to medical complications arising out of an assault in the classroom. The alleged assault took place 10 to 11 days prior to registration of FIR by Alandi Devachi police station on Feb 20, 2020, based on a complaint from the student’s mother. The victim died on March 27, 2020, while under treatment at a hospital. The accused, who was arrested on day of FIR registration, was released on bail on Jan 11, 2023. Additional sessions judge A S Sayyad, in a judgment pronounced on Feb 16, found that the prosecution evidence was “brittle and scanty which is insufficient to establish the charge against the accused beyond all reasonable doubt. The prosecution therefore failed to establish the charge against the accused.” The court questioned the basis for application of culpable homicide charge observing that in a case of assault by a teacher on a student with a small stick, the medical certificate of first treated doctor was absent in respect of nature of injury. The seven fellow students, who were presented as witnesses, did not support prosecution case during trial. The court also cited gaps in evidence of some witnesses. “This appears a failure of investigating officer while carrying out investigation in the case. It would not be outplace to state that the investigation regarding the crime is not properly conducted and it seems not free from doubt,” the court said.
