States » NorthPosted at: Oct 31 2026 8:24PM


Haryana rights panel seeks school child-behaviour monitoring system after Panchkula girl assault, questions safety lapses

Kamlesh Kali
Panchkula, Oct 31 (UNI) The Haryana Human Rights Commission will recommend a system to assess children's behaviour and identify warning signs of behavioural problems in schools, following the alleged brutal assault of a six-year-old kindergarten girl by a Class 3 student at a government school in Panchkula, Commission Chairperson Justice Lalit Batra said on Saturday.
The move comes amid serious questions over student supervision, possible teacher shortages and the handling of CCTV footage at the Sector 20 school, where the girl was allegedly attacked on October 28.
Justice Batra, who visited the school along with Assistant Registrar Dr Puneet Arora, said the Commission would conduct a detailed examination of the incident, identify shortcomings in the school's safety and supervision arrangements and recommend corrective measures to prevent similar incidents.
Speaking to reporters after inspecting the school, the Commission chairperson said there was a need for a mechanism to understand children's psychology and behaviour and assess potential concerns at an early stage.
He said the Commission would make recommendations to the Haryana government for developing such a system in schools, shifting attention beyond the immediate incident to the wider question of preventing violence among young students.
The proposed mechanism, however, remains at the recommendation stage, and no specific implementation framework has been announced.
Justice Batra also raised concerns about the adequacy of teachers and supervision arrangements in schools, saying the Commission would examine whether staffing deficiencies or administrative shortcomings had contributed to the incident.
Referring to guidelines concerning teacher availability, he said schools should maintain staffing levels proportionate to student strength, citing approximately one teacher for every 25 to 30 students.
He questioned the practicality of expecting a single teacher to supervise around 100 students and said the Commission would examine such deficiencies before making recommendations to the Directorate of School Education.
The victim's family has alleged serious failures in the school's security and monitoring arrangements.
Her uncle, Fazil, claimed that the Class 3 boy accused of assaulting the girl had himself led family members to the spot where she was found injured.
The family also questioned the alleged absence of teachers and the effectiveness of CCTV monitoring during school hours.
The girl, who reportedly sustained serious injuries, was taken to the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, for treatment.
On the use of CCTV cameras, Justice Batra said surveillance was necessary for student safety and could help detect violence and corporal punishment.
However, he warned that footage of sensitive incidents involving children must not be circulated publicly.
"The CCTV footage should not go outside," he said, stressing that the identities of both children must be protected under the applicable legal safeguards.
Asked whether the police had concealed the incident for two days, as it allegedly occurred on Wednesday but became publicly known on Friday, Justice Batra declined to draw any conclusion.
He said he had learnt about the incident from a newspaper report on Saturday and had decided to visit the school to examine the circumstances.
Meanwhile, Haryana Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda said the government had constituted an inquiry committee to investigate the incident and identify any negligence by school authorities.
He said the committee would submit its report shortly and strict action would follow against those found responsible for lapses.
Dhanda asserted that the government would not tolerate any compromise with children's safety.
The Commission's proposed recommendations and the government inquiry have brought three issues into focus: whether the school had adequate staff to supervise young children, whether CCTV surveillance was being effectively monitored and whether schools need better systems to recognise behavioural concerns before they escalate into violence.
No official finding establishing negligence by any particular teacher or school official has yet been announced.
The composition of the government inquiry committee and the deadline for submitting its report have also not been disclosed.
The Commission's examination is expected to inform its recommendations on improving school safety, protecting children's privacy and strengthening preventive measures across educational institutions in Haryana.
UNI KK RN
Tags: #Haryana rights panel seeks school child-behaviour monitoring system after Panchkula girl assault# questions safety lapses
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