BAREILLY: In an incident that has shocked people in the city, a 10-year-old boy was made to do 170 push ups by a maulvi in a local madarsa because the child was unable to recite a chapter of the Quran.

Not satisfied with the punishment he had meted out, the maulvi also reportedly thrashed the boy with a stick and sat on his chest, angrily pulling at his hair. The distressed boy, unable to take this inhuman treatment any more, fainted and had to be rushed to hospital in a critical condition.

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The incident, which happened a few days ago, incensed people in the Pilibhit Bypass Road area, where the madarsa is located. Locals, along with parents of the boy, reached the Bradari police station where an FIR was lodged against the erring maulvi and madarsa in-charge. According to sources, the maulvi fled from the spot soon after the boy fainted. Police are on the lookout for him.

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Meanwhile, the boy is recuperating at a private hospital where doctors said he had suffered serious injuries in his ribs and backbone. Talking to TOI, the boy’s father, who runs a chemist shop, said on Saturday,“ We are appalled at the way the teacher has treated my son. Is this the way students are supposed to learn? The strictest punishment should be given to the teacher so that such incidents are not repeated.”

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Mohd Qasim, inspector, Baradari police station, added, “We have lodged a case against the teacher and two other madarsa staff under Section 325 of Indian Penal Code and investigations are on. The guilty would soon be apprehended.”