PANCHKULA: An eight-year-old boy lured a six-year-old kindergarten girl into an empty classroom at a government school in Panchkula on October 28, telling her that her father was waiting there, before launching a brutal assault on her, CCTV footage shows.The boy allegedly kicked and punched the girl and banged her head against desks. The assault continued even after she lost consciousness, according to the footage.The circumstances that led to the attack remain unclear, and police are investigating the possible motive.The incident went unnoticed by school staff. It was only after the girl’s parents learnt that she was missing from her usual pickup point that they rushed to the school and began searching for her. The girl was eventually found injured inside the premises.The disturbing CCTV footage has since circulated on social media, raising questions about the supervision of young children and the school’s response to the incident.
The girl is undergoing treatment at PGI-Chandigarh and is reported to be stable. Police have registered an FIR against the school principal and the class teacher.The eight-year-old boy was presented before the Juvenile Justice Board for psychological evaluation. A brain mapping test was conducted at PGI-Chandigarh on Saturday, with another round scheduled for Monday, sources said.Police are also examining whether exposure to online games or television content could have influenced the boy’s behaviour. No trigger for the assault has been established so far.
Teacher handling two classes with around 80 students
A departmental inquiry into the incident has pointed to possible lapses in student supervision, with statements suggesting that a shortage of teachers had led to two classes being conducted together.According to sources, around 80 students from the two classes were being taught under the supervision of a single teacher.The class teacher told the inquiry committee that she was handling both classes on the day of the incident. She said the school had closed classes at around 3.15pm and that she had led the children in a line through a corridor towards the kitchen area as parents began arriving to collect them.The teacher later returned to the staff room, while a school attendant monitored the handover of children to their parents.Around 3.30pm, the autorickshaw driver who regularly ferried the girl informed her father that she was missing from the pickup point. Her family rushed to the school, triggering a search of the premises.The inquiry examined CCTV footage, statements from the boy and accounts given by parents and school employees.The Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has sought a detailed factual report, supporting documents and an action-taken report from the district education officer. The preliminary inquiry has been completed, and its findings are to be forwarded to the education directorate for consideration of further action over the alleged lapses.DCP Aditya Singh said mandatory standard operating procedures would be issued for schools, alongside sensitisation and outreach programmes.
Attack raises concerns over aggression among children
The assault has prompted child psychologists and paediatricians to call for early intervention to address aggression among young children, with experts stressing the need to examine the circumstances surrounding the behaviour rather than assume a cause.Dr Adarsh Kohli, a clinical psychologist and former professor in PGI’s department of psychiatry, said the boy’s motives and psychological state needed to be examined. He also stressed the importance of extensive trauma counselling for the girl to address the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder and long-term difficulties with trust.Dr Bhavneet Bharti, a social paediatrician at PGI who works on adverse childhood experiences and the impact of social media on children, said an eight-year-old was still developing emotional regulation, impulse control and the ability to manage anger and frustration.She said an incident of such severity should not be dismissed as ordinary childhood fighting. Investigators and specialists needed to examine whether the child had experienced or witnessed violence, bullying, harsh punishment, emotional distress or other adverse childhood experiences.Bharti called on schools to introduce social-emotional learning from the primary years, helping children recognise anger, tolerate frustration, resolve conflicts and seek help before emotions escalate into aggression.Experts also highlighted the importance of examining children’s exposure to violent media, unsupervised screen time and domestic conflict, while avoiding assumptions about what caused the attack.The incident has brought renewed attention to the need for closer supervision in schools, early identification of behavioural concerns and psychological support for children affected by violence.
