22 Assam students suspended for manhandling five-month pregnant teacher

Twenty-two school students in Assam's Dibrugarh district were suspended Tuesday after they assaulted a pregnant teacher. Speaking to news agency ANI, the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya principal said, "A mob of students from Class 10 and 11 attacked a History teacher, who is five months pregnant, in our school on Sunday (after) she complained to the parents of one of the students about his poor performance..."

After the meeting, the students gathered and began harassing the teacher in front of the main building. She was assaulted by a few and one student tried to grab her by her hair.

The principal and another teacher were heckled by the mob, reports indicate.

"I called their parents the next morning after having an emergency meeting at my residence. Hearing the development, this time the students threatened me over the phone and started moving towards my quarters to attack me," Rathees Kumar, the principal, said.

According to a report by news agency PTI, the teacher was rescued by a few other women teachers, school staffers and a some female students. Shocked, she was on the verge of collapse and was rushed to a local hospital.

A police official said no case has been registered since a formal complaint was not filed. The principal said, "We have informed the office of the Dibrugarh Deputy Commissioner... The ADC concerned assured us of a magisterial probe and asked us to take stern action against the students." He also said senior officials had been informed and their decision is awaited.