Six-Year-Old Boy in Visakhapatnam Dies After Being Physically Harassed by Teacher Over Unfinished Homework, Sparking Concerns Over Child Safety in Indian Schools

IN VISAKHAPATNAM, A SIX-YEAR-OLD BOY died at a private school after being allegedly beaten by a teacher for not completing his homework. The incident took place at the Little Garden School—a private school in the One Town Area in Visakhapatnam—on August 20, 2026. The little boy was named Tammana Pranay Teja, and was a student of the Upper Kindergarten (UKG). CCTV footage recovered from the school shows the teacher scolding, slapping and then trying to strip Pranay Teja, after which the boy lost consciousness and collapsed in front of the teacher.

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Footage from the CCTV camera installed inside the classroom has spread across social media and television news channels, sparking serious concerns among parents, local communities and netizens expressing their sorrow and anger over the death of the little child. Following the incident, the local residents and student groups staged a protest outside the premises of the Little Garden school and the KGH hospital—where the post-mortem of the deceased child was held. 

The Incident at The School And its Repercussions 

The death of a six-year-old boy following the alleged harassment by a school teacher has sparked serious concerns regarding child safety in schools, professional conduct of teachers and school management’s accountability. On August 20, 2026, a child in the Little Garden School in Visakhapatnam was being physically harassed and slapped, after which the boy collapsed in front of the teacher, and later succumbed to his injuries at the King George Hospital. 

The Minister for Human Resource Development and Information Technology Nara Lokesh expressed his grief over the incident and asked for immediate legal action on those responsible for this heinous act. “The tragic death of six-year-old Pranay Teja due to a teacher’s assault at Little Garden School in Visakhapatnam is deeply shocking. Strict legal action is being taken against those responsible and the school management. The government will stand by the family” Mr. Lokesh Nara wrote on X. 

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According to a report by The Hindu, One Town police have taken the initiative to register a case based on the complaint and are launching an investigation. The One Town police said to The Hindu, “We are registering a case under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) Act based on a complaint. We will investigate this case and proceed accordingly.” Section 194 of the BNSS states that an Officer-in-Charge of a police station or other police officer is specially empowered by the state government to intimate the nearest executive magistrate in case of the death of an individual and to investigate the matter.

Additionally, the School Education Department has also constituted a three-member committee to conduct a comprehensive probe into the incident and ensure steady delivery of justice. The Committee comprises the Regional Joint Director (RJD), District Educational Officer (DEO), and the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO).

Speaking to NDTV,  Pranay Teja’s father informed that the child had himself insisted on going to school that day. Initially, the family was not planning to send him to school. But with the examinations approaching, they eventually agreed. “We thought, okay, exams are coming up soon, so let him go,” the father said to NDTV. There was nothing unusual about the child when he left home, and hours later in the noon, they received the bad news. The father also stated that the school did not inform the family about the incident. The local cook working at his brother-in-law’s place called and informed them. 

Legal and Institutional Mechanisms of Child Safety in Indian Schools

The above incident raises a discussion on child safety norms in educational institutions across the country and the existing institutional mechanisms meant to tackle them. Corporal punishment is strictly banned in Indian schools. Section 17 of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, prohibits any form of physical punishment and mental harassment of children in schools. The law states that no child should be subjected to physical punishment or mental harassment, and calls for strict legal actions along with criminal charges.

In case of any harassment and assault, the accused could be charged with Sections 115 and 131 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)—earlier known as sections 323 and 352 of the Indian Penal Code—covering voluntarily directed harm and assaults. Additionally, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) 2015, treats any form of cruelty to children as an offence. 

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