Siddhartha Somani under treatment at hospital. Picture by Hardeep Singh

Ranchi, July 23: Delhi Public School (DPS) finds itself in the eye of the storm after a student was thrashed by a teacher yesterday forcing a Class VIII student to be admitted to a hospital with a damaged eardrum and fractures in two of his fingers.

An FIR has been lodged against Arun Kumar Sinha, a history teacher, at the Jagannathpur police station. The boy, Siddhartha Somani, is being treated at the Nagarmal Modi Sewa Sadan.

Jharkhand Educational Tribunal issued a showcause to DPS later in the evening and asked the principal to reply within a week.

Siddhartha’s parents — Raj Kumar and Sangeeta Somani — insist the school management must direct Kumar to apologise before students, teachers and the media in the school auditorium.

DPS principal and management spent most of today inquiring into the circumstances under which the incident occurred.

The teacher, it is understood, explained at great length why he did what he did.

DPS principal Mahesh Bareja said he was extremely concerned by the incident, but added he would not ask the teacher to apologise in public.

Thirteen-year-old Siddhartha, who was in room 331 of the hospital, said the teacher thrashed him black and blue when he was taking a book from a classmate.

“First, he dragged me from my bench and then slapped me on my left temple,” he said while watching television along with his parents.

“The teacher also kicked and punched me,” he added.

Both Raj Kumar and Sangeeta are furious, saying they would not tolerate a teacher beating up their son brutally. “Students should not be punished in such a way that a parent has to get him hospitalised,” she said.

Raj Kumar said he would not spare the teacher until he apologised publicly. “I have already made myself very clear to the school management after a three-hour-long discussion. This is a crime. The rule of the land prohibits a teacher from handing out corporal punishment. There are many other ways to tackle naughty students,” he said.

Officer-in-charge of Jagannathpur police station K.P. Yadav said refused to elaborate, only adding that the matter was under investigation.