States » NorthPosted at: Nov 3 2026 5:45PM


Haryana orders state-level probe into assault on schoolgirl in Panchkula, minister warns of action over negligence

Panchkula, Nov 3 (UNI) The Haryana government has ordered a state-level inquiry into the assault on a young girl at a government school in Panchkula, with Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda promising action against anyone found responsible for lapses in supervision that allowed the incident to occur.
The assault, captured in a video that has since surfaced, has put the school's safety arrangements under scrutiny. It has also prompted child psychologists to call for greater attention to aggressive behaviour among young children and the possible influence of excessive screen time, family circumstances, and emotional stress.
Dhanda described the footage of the incident at the government school in Sector 20 as horrifying and said violence against children could not be tolerated.
"The video is extremely disturbing. Such an incident is unacceptable under any circumstances," the minister said. He said senior officials were conducting a state-level inquiry to establish how the assault occurred, whether school staff failed to intervene, and where responsibility for any negligence lay. The government would take appropriate action after receiving the inquiry committee's report, he said, adding that no lapse affecting children's safety would be overlooked.
The incident has also drawn attention to the behaviour of young children and the responsibility of schools to identify and address signs of aggression before they escalate into violence. Child psychologist Dr Rajeev Trehan said persistent irritability, sudden outbursts of anger, and aggressive behaviour among children should not be dismissed as ordinary childhood mischief. He cautioned that excessive exposure to competitive online games, including PUBG, could contribute to frustration and stress in some children, particularly when they become emotionally invested in winning or achieving higher scores.
Trehan said it was important to understand what was causing a child's anger or aggression rather than treating it merely as a disciplinary problem.He explained that frustration arising from online gaming could sometimes affect how a child reacted to people around them. However, he cautioned against attributing violent behaviour to gaming alone.
Family relationships, emotional difficulties, social surroundings and other psychological factors could also influence a child's behaviour, he said. Referring to the Panchkula incident, Trehan recommended a professional psychological assessment of the child involved in the assault to better understand the circumstances and behavioural factors. He said serious aggression should not automatically be regarded as normal simply because the child was young.
Trehan also referred to problems associated with excessive digital screen time and behavioural conditions such as conduct disorder, stressing the importance of early identification and appropriate professional support. There is, however, no confirmed evidence that the child involved in the incident has any particular psychological disorder or that online gaming played a role in the assault.
The psychologist said parents and teachers should be particularly attentive when children begin showing persistent anger, withdrawing from social interaction or behaving aggressively towards others. The atmosphere at home, including how parents communicate and handle conflict, could have a considerable bearing on children's emotional development, he added. The assault has brought a more immediate issue into focus: whether adequate supervision and safeguards were in place at the school to protect a young child from violence.
While the psychological factors behind aggressive behaviour require careful assessment, the responsibility of schools to maintain a safe environment for children remains a separate question. The state-level inquiry is expected to examine the sequence of events, the response of school staff, and any failures in supervision. Its findings will be crucial in determining accountability for an incident that has left parents questioning whether their children are adequately protected during school hours.
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