TN govt school cook beats Class V boy with broomstick for asking why eggs were not served with noon meal | Chennai News
TIRUVANNAMALAI: A cook at a panchayat union primary school in Tiruvannamalai district of Tamil Nadu beat a Class V boy with a broomstick when he asked why eggs were not served with the noon meal.
A video of the cook, identified as Lakshmi, beating the student with a broomstick was widely shared on social media platforms.
Commissioner (social welfare) R Lilly said the department launched an inquiry. She stated that Sengunam Kollaimedu Panchayat Union Primary School has 43 students, including girls. The school has two teachers, including the headmaster, a cook, and an assistant cook.
Inquiries revealed that a Class V student was not served an egg with the noon meal on April 2. He asked the cook, Lakshmi, about why eggs were not served. The cook and the assistant cook, identified as Muniammal, claimed that three of the 43 boiled eggs had been broken while peeling and promised to serve an egg the next day. Lilly stated that the student had scolded the cook and assistant cook for not serving eggs.
The enraged cook grabbed a broomstick and beat the student. Using the teacher’s mobile phone, a Class IV student recorded a video of the cook assaulting the student and shared it with his parents, who are members of the school management committee.
After video went viral, Lilly visited the school and investigated the incident. She conducted detailed inquiries with the student, his parents, teachers, the cook and the assistant cook.
A release from the district administration said the incident was a fall out of personal issues between teacher Flora and cook and assistant cook.
“The district collector’s personal assistant (noon meal) said the district administration directed the Polur block development officer to suspend the employees (cook and assistant cook) after they admitted to making the mistake. The two were served suspension orders on the spot,” said Lilly in an official communication to the secretary (social welfare and women empowerment).
The Polur police arrested Lakshmi and Muniammal, and the district administration transferred the teacher to another school. The administration appointed a new cook and assistant cook to serve noon meals with eggs to the students every day.
