Mumbai: The Vakola police have registered an FIR against the principal of a Santacruz school for allegedly slapping a 15-year-old Class 10 student around 25 times and even punching him once for his “indisciplined behaviour”. The accused, Joshua De Souza, is the principal of St Mary’s High School and Junior College in Kalina, Santacruz East. He even brazenly told the teen's family to file an offence against him, claiming he was a lawyer and would fight the case, as per the FIR. The police said that they have issued a notice to the principal.
The student, a Kurla West resident, said that the alleged incident took place between 4pm and 9pm on November 13 when the school had organised a Children’s Day party. The teen recounted that at the party, De Souza asked him to sit with a teacher, saying “You behave in an indisciplined manner. Whenever your parents are called, you never come with them, but you have come for the party.”
The student said that the principal then asked him to call his parents, however, his mother could not come as she could not get an auto, said the FIR, adding that his father runs a garment shop. The teen claimed that an enraged De Souza told his mother that she could have simply walked to the school. He allegedly warned the parents to meet him else the child won't be allowed to leave.
As per the FIR, De Souza then took the boy to his cabin and yelled, “What do you think of yourself?”. Out of nowhere, he launched a slapping spree and assaulted the victim 20 to 25 times on cheeks and neck and also punched him once in the stomach, alleged the FIR. Subsequently, the accused called his father, saying they could file a case against him. The victim claimed that De Souza then told him to leave, else he would thrash him again.
He later narrated his ordeal to his mother and his cousin, who took him to Bhabha Hospital, and met De Souza on November 17. He apparently conceded that he slapped the boy out of anger, assured them he would never hit him again and requested them not to file a police complaint. The cousin sought the CCTV footage, which showed De Souza raising his hand, however, the footage did not clearly capture the assault.
The incident has created a stir in the local community. “The principal spent the whole day in the police station,” said a Kalina resident. He later obtained bail. Another local community demanded his sacking, saying the child's medical report shows injuries.
A case has been filed under sections 75 (cruelty to a child by a person having charge or control) and 82 (corporal punishment in child care institutions) of the Juvenile Justice Act along with relevant sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhit.
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