Muzaffarnagar: A day after a video of a school teacher from Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar asking children to slap his classmate went viral, Muzaffarnagar District Magistrate Arvind Mallappa on Saturday said that a complaint has been registered and the victim child is getting counseling sessions. Mallappa further said that during the investigation it came to know that the viral video was filmed by the victim’s uncle. The viral video goes on to show children taking turns striking the crying Muslim student at the instigation of their teacher, while the teacher looks on. The video sparked outrage online after it was circulated. "The video has been circulating since yesterday evening & an inquiry was conducted. On inquiry, it was found that the video was filmed by the boy's uncle...This morning their complaint was registered. The Child Welfare Committee is giving counseling sessions to the child. Since the complaint has been registered action will be taken," said Muzaffarnagar DM Arvind Mallappa. As the incident sparked massive outrage involving political parties and leaders demanding action, the accused principal of Neha Public School, Tripta Tyagi spoke to ANI and alleged that the vial video was morphed. She claimed that there were instructions from the children’s parents to be strict with the child and that he was not doing his homework for long. "The video that was made viral was edited and cut, I had no such intentions…in our place, Hindus and Muslims stay with unity and we have more Muslim students in our school…there was pressure from the parents of the child to be strict with him. I am handicapped I can’t get up…he was not doing homework for last 2 months…so I made 2-3 students beat him up so that he would start doing his work,” said Tripta Tyagi, Principal of Neha Public School. “What I said was 'Mohammedan mothers' must not take their kids to their uncles’ homes as the exam is approaching. But they cut this video and took the 'Mohammedan' word…I had no such intentions…I have made a mistake and I seek apology with folded hands," added Tripta Tyagi. The father of the victim's child refuted any Hindu-Muslim angle in the incident. However, he demanded action in the incident and said his child was scared after the shameful act happened to him. "My son is seven years old. This incident happened on 24th August. The teacher made the students beat my child again & again. My nephew made the video as he had gone to school for some work...My seven-year-old child was tortured for an hour or two. He is scared. This is not a Hindu-Muslim matter. We want the law should take its own course," says the child’s father on Saturday. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Tourism Minister Jaiveer Singh has assured that the Police are investigating the incident and action will be taken once the investigation is complete. Reacting to the incident the Minister said "In the state, everyone has the right to the same level of education and ensuring this is the job and the priority of our government. The Police are probing the incident and further action will be taken once the investigation is complete."
