A 12-year-old girl has died in India after being allegedly forced to perform 100 sit-ups as punishment for arriving late at school, sparking outrage and calls for an inquiry. The incident occurred on November 8 at a private school in Sativali, Maharashtra, where the Class 6 student was punished along with four other pupils.
The girl's mother claims the punishment was exacerbated by the fact that her daughter was carrying her school bag on her back during the sit-ups, leading to severe neck and back pain. Her health deteriorated rapidly, and she was admitted to a hospital in Mumbai, where she died on the night of November 15.
Local political party members stated that the student had pre-existing health issues, but the punishment was still imposed. A teacher from the school said it was unclear how many sit-ups the child performed or if the exercise caused her death. Pandurang Galange, the Block Education Officer, confirmed an inquiry has been opened to determine the exact cause of death.
The girl's mother confronted the teacher, who reportedly justified the punishment as necessary to maintain discipline. No formal police complaint has been filed yet. The incident has renewed debate over corporal punishment in Indian schools, which is illegal but persists in some institutions. Campaigners have condemned the punishment as 'inhuman', and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena party has warned the school will not reopen until a criminal case is registered.
