Gautam Roy Chowdhury, a history teacher at Panchpara High School, was arrested on Thursday for allegedly beating up a girl student. He was produced before the chief judicial magistrate in Howrah on Thursday and granted bail.

On Wednesday, Roy Chowdhury, in his late-30s, asked Sreeparna Das, a Class IX student, to leave the classroom for talking to a classmate. She complained against him to the head teacher.

When Roy Chowdhury heard of the complaint in the teachers’ room, he returned to the classroom and beat up the girl, said police.

The teacher allegedly banged Sreeparna’s head against a wall. The girl lost consciousness. Other teachers tended her and sent her home.

Guardians and residents demonstrated at the school on Thursday demanding the history teacher’s arrest. In the afternoon, Sreeparna’s family lodged a complaint with Najirgunge police station.

Roy Chowdhury was arrested at his home in Duilla Patpara, under Jagachha police station.

Sukamal Das, the head teacher of the co-educational school, said: “Students had complained against the teacher several times in the past accusing him of being negligent in class, smoking in the classroom and beating up students without provocation. He has been showcaused three times but he did not mend his ways.”

In a meeting on Friday morning, the school managing committee recommended action against the teacher.

Rajkumar Deb, the president of the committee, said: “We shall write to the inspector of schools requesting him to suspend him from service. We have cautioned Roy Chowdhury repeatedly but it appears he did not bother to listen to us.”

Sreeparna said: “I want to continue my studies but I am not willing to attend Gautam sir’s class. He punishes us on the slightest pretext.”