Cuttack, Oct. 27: State school and mass education minister Pratap Jena has said that a full-fledged inquiry would be conducted into the alleged corporal punishment meted out to Haripriya Meher, a Class X student of a government-run school in Phulbani.

She is now undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital.

The minister, who was in the city for inauguration of Adarsh Cooperative Bank, said the process for carrying out the probe has already begun.

Haripriya was allegedly subjected to corporal punishment for failing to complete her homework and forgetting to bring her book to the school two months ago. According to the family members of Haripriya, the headmaster of the school had asked her to do 200 sit-ups that resulted in severe pain in her waist and legs, forcing her to be hospitalised. The issue received response from the authorities after media reports highlighted the matter after Haripriya was admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, on October 10.

“As the matter came to light three months after the alleged corporal punishment was meted out to the student concerned, it needs to be probed further. It is suspected that the entire incident could be fabricated,” Jena said.

Jena said the Phulbani circle inspector had already submitted a preliminary report, which reveals that the issue came to light much after the incident had occurred. Appropriate action would be taken against those found guilty after the final probe, he added.

According to Haripriya’s parents, she was first admitted to a local hospital at Phulbani and later to VSS Medical College and Hospital in Burla, where doctors advised that she be taken to SCB Medical College and Hospital. Haripriya is still undergoing treatment here.

“We are now worried about our daughter’s education. She will be appearing for her high school certificate examination next year,” said Haripriya’s mother Hemalata Meher.

A ban on corporal punishment was imposed in Orissa in September 2004.