RAIPUR: A

of corporal punishment in a school has triggered statewide outrage. The footage, from a private school in

’s Surajpur district, shows children being forced to do

while a woman teacher asks them to look into the camera and say ‘Mai Gadha Hun’. Children who hesitate are beaten with a stick and forced to say the humiliating words.

Surajpur collector Dipak Soni ordered an inquiry against the accused teacher, Komal Mandal.

The incident took place last Friday, but the video — shot by the teacher herself — surfaced on the auspicious day of Guru Purnima, when tributes are paid to teachers.

Komal, who teaches Sanskrit, flew into a rage when students of Class 7 couldn’t answer questions correctly. She allegedly ordered them to line up outside, and made them do ‘murga’. They were made to keep a book on their backs as they bent over, holding their ears.

But she didn’t stop there, she allegedly started video recording them in murga, and ordered each of them to face the camera and say ‘mai gadha hun’. In the video, frightened and embarrassed faces try to hide from the camera, as the one shooting the video orders them to look up and say the words. “Chehra nahi dikha,” she tells students who don’t look into the camera, and hits them with a stick.

The teacher then shared the video with the staff group on WhatsApp, following which it went viral. Soon enough, it pinged on the cellphones of parents, who were incensed and rushed to the school on Tuesday. They staged a demonstration at the school gates, demanding action against Komal, and a public apology from her.

As soon as Surajpur collector Dipak Soni was informed of the protest, he ordered the district education officer to form a probe committee. Officials have already visited the school and are recording statements of the authorities, teacher, students and parents, he told TOI on Tuesday evening. “We are carrying out a thorough investigation, considering the gravity of the case. Once the report is received, action will be ordered against the teacher,” he said.

“We have issued a show-cause notice to the school, asking why action shouldn’t be taken against the teacher. The school claims to have suspended the teacher for two days. But since the claim is verbal, the administration isn’t considering it, and has urged for strict punishment,” Soni told TOI.