A Class IX student of a government high school in Lakhisarai is feared to have lost vision in one eye after a trainee teacher hurled a duster at him in class on Wednesday.

Saurabh Kumar of Nayatola, around 160km east of Patna, was rushed to a private nursing home that referred him to a Patna-based specialist for better treatment.

Saurabh's father Pradeep Kumar Verma said Balram Kumar, a BEd trainee teacher, hit Saurabh with a duster in class, injuring his right eye. The boy complained of severe pain in his eye thereafter.

"Hearing his screams, the teacher took him to a local doctor, who advised that he be rushed to Patna as he had lost vision in the eye," the hapless father said over phone onThursday. "Apprehending trouble, the teacher dropped the boy near the school and made good his escape." As the condition of 16-year-old Saurabh deteriorated, other students of PB High School created a scene and demanded immediate arrest of the teacher, Baliram.

Baliram is pursuing a B.Ed course from the Mahatma Gandhi Teachers' Training College in Lakhisarai and was teaching students as part of his practical classes.

On being informed, Saurabh's mother Urmila Devi rushed to the school and took Saurabh to a private nursing home. Anant Shankar, the doctor who examined Saurabh, also advised Urmila to take the boy to Patna for better treatment. "In all probability he (boy) has lost his vision," Urmila quoted Shankar as saying.

Lakhisarai sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Pankaj Kumar and Town police station house officer (SHO) Rajesh Ranjan visited the school to pacify the agitating students there following the incident.

The two police officers also promised to book the erring teacher for the offence he had allegedly committed. "Corporal punishment is a criminal offence," SDPO Pankaj said. "Anybody responsible for an act of harassing any student - whether studying in a government or private school - will be booked under the relevant sections of law."

The SDPO added that raids had been launched to arrest the absconding teacher. SHO Rajesh Ranjan reiterated that the accused teacher was evading arrest. Preliminary police investigation showed the teacher lost his cool when some students began shouting in class. He threw the duster, which hit Saurabh on his forehead leading to injuries in his right eye.

Baliram, a resident of Ramchandrapur village in Lakhisarai, has been booked under Sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt with dangerous weapon), 326 (grievous hurt with a dangerous weapon) and 504 (intentional hurt) of IPC.

Lakhisarai district magistrate Sunil Kumar said the district administration would provide all possible help to Saurabh's family. Acting civil surgeon Rameshwar Mahto said neither the boy nor his relatives had approached him for medical assistance from the hospital. "We are ready to support the family if the need arises," he said.

Manorama Kumari, the principal of PB High School in Purani Bazaar area where Saurabh was enrolled, described the incident as "unfortunate" and said the teacher was assigned to teach students as part of practical classes for the BEd course he was pursuing from a local college.