Date:01/08/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/08/01/stories/2005080103511300.htm

Other States - Bihar

Girl's death sparks controversy

PATNA: The death of an 11-year-old schoolgirl, Nutan Kumari, under mysterious circumstances on Saturday has raised a controversy in Samastipur district.

The girl's father, Laxmi, Mahto, in his FIR lodged with the Bibhutipur police station has accused the Class VI teacher (shiksha mitra) of the government secondary school at Shahpur Basuna village of physically attacking his ward and making her sit out in the sun on Friday last resulting in her death.

Mahto alleged that students of the class got into a fight with his daughter. While disciplining her, the shiksha mitra, Sanjay Kumar Santosh, had "hurled her to the ground and thrashed her with a stick causing serious head injuries." When Nutan failed to return home, her family searched for her and found her lying unconscious on the school premises.