Uttar Pradesh Teacher Seeks Forgiveness for Asking Students to Slap Classmate, Denies Communal Motive

New Delhi, August 28, 2023: In a video message, Tripta Tyagi, a 60-year-old teacher and principal of Neha Public School in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, has expressed remorse for her actions and emphasized that there was no communal intention behind asking students to slap their Muslim classmate. With folded hands, Tyagi acknowledged her mistake and sought forgiveness.

Addressing the incident, Tyagi stated, “I made a mistake, but there was no Hindu-Muslim motive. The children had not done their homework and my intention was to ensure that they memorise (the lessons).” She further revealed that her physical limitations prevented her from getting up, leading her to request some students to slap the classmate in question in an attempt to encourage studying.

Denying any ill intentions towards a particular community, Tyagi asserted that her actions were not driven by a divide between Hindu and Muslim students. She highlighted her support for underprivileged students, including those from Muslim families who couldn’t afford school fees. “I teach them for free. I had no intention to torture Muslim children,” she added.

The incident resulted in a police complaint lodged by the boy’s family. Tyagi now faces charges of causing hurt and intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace. These offenses are bailable and do not entail immediate arrest.

As a consequence of the incident, the school has been temporarily closed, and the students are set to be relocated to neighboring schools under the supervision of state education department authorities.

The boy’s father shared his distress, mentioning that his son experienced trauma and exhibited signs of distress following the incident. However, the child’s condition has improved after a medical assessment.