Speaking on the controversy surrounding the suicide by Class VIII student Rouvanjit Rawla of the La Martiniere for Boys School in February, state School Education Minister Partha De said there should be an appropriate body under the Right to Education Act to deal with such cases.

The minister, however, did not specify any time frame for setting up the body, saying, “We plan to set up the authority soon”.

Describing the episode as very “unfortunate”, De said, “There cannot be a minority right on punishing children. There should be a general rule for all education institutions.”

The school is under the management of the Church of North India.

He said the school education department has informed all education boards that corporal punishment to students is an offence.

“Such incidents create fear psychosis among children and the problem should be addressed properly,” he said.

Rawla had allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself at his home after being caned by the school principal on February 12 for indiscipline, according to a complaint lodged by the father of the child.

La Martiniere clears the air

La Martiniere for Boys School on Friday sought to wash its hands of the issue of suicide by a Class VIII student after being allegedly caned by the principal in February this year. “The school’s silence is not to be regarded as an acceptance of the accusation levelled against it. The school even today deeply and sincerely regrets the loss of a life and we do not think it is appropriate to join the issue in public arena over something that is very personal,” a statement signed by Supriyo Dhar, secretary to the board of governors, released to the media.

HC seeks report on the case

A Division Bench of Calcutta High Court comprising Chief Justice Mohit S Shah and Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta on Friday asked advocate Tapas Bhanja to file an affidavit on Rouvanjit Rawla, a Class VIII student of La Martiniere who committed suicide after being allegedly beaten by his teachers. The court’s order comes after Bhanja filed a PIL alleging that despite the ban on corporal punishment through an order of Calcutta High Court in 2004, many schools still practise it.