Class 6 girl dies days after being made to perform '100 sit-ups' in school for coming late; probe on
Palghar (PTI): A Class 6 student of a private school in Maharashtra's Palghar district died nearly a week after she was allegedly made to perform 100 sit-ups as punishment for coming late, prompting the authorities to launch a probe.
Anshika Gaud, a student of the school located at Sativali in the Vasai area, passed away in a Mumbai hospital on Friday night.
According to members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Anshika and four other students were made to perform 100 sit-ups each for reaching school late on November 8.
The deceased girl's mother alleged that her daughter died as a result of an "inhuman punishment" given by her teacher, who made her perform sit-ups with her school bag on her back.
Sachin More, an MNS leader from Vasai, claimed she was punished despite having pre-existing health problems.
A teacher from the school said, "It is not known how many sit-ups this child had done. One really does not know if she died due to it or otherwise."
Block Education Officer Pandurang Galange said an inquiry is being conducted into Anshika's death.
"The probe will reveal the exact cause of her death,” he said. No police complaint has been filed as yet, said officials.
Talking to media persons, the deceased girl's mother said her child's health condition deteriorated rapidly after she was subjected to corporal punishment.
"After the punishment, she experienced severe pain in her neck and back, and could not get up," she said.
The woman said that when she learnt about the incident and her daughter's condition, she went to the school and confronted the teacher.
"I was told that the students were punished for coming late to school. The teacher justified the punishment, saying the parents otherwise accuse them of not teaching the students despite paying fees," she said.
"I told the teacher that punishing the students does not mean forcing them to perform sit-ups with bags on their back. The teacher gave my daughter inhuman punishment, which led to her death," she said.
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India & Israel elevate ties to special strategic partnership, vow to soon conclude free trade deal
Jerusalem (PTI): India and Israel on Thursday elevated their "time-tested" relationship to a special strategic partnership and agreed to soon firm up a "mutually beneficial" free trade deal even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly backed the Gaza peace initiative, asserting that humanity must never become a victim of conflict.
Following talks between Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, the two sides inked a plethora of agreements to expand cooperation in areas of trade, agriculture, energy, cyberspace and digital payment.
India and Israel also vowed to expand their already close defence partnership by working towards joint development and joint production of military hardware under the framework of the transfer of technologies.
In his media statement, Modi said India's security interest is linked to peace and stability in the Middle East, adding that New Delhi fully supports the Gaza Peace Initiative.
"India's stance is clear: humanity must never become a victim of conflict. A path to peace has been created through the Gaza Peace Plan. India has fully supported these efforts," he said.
"In the future as well, we will continue dialogue and cooperation with all countries," he said.
PM Modi landed in Israel on Wednesday on a two-day visit. It is his second visit to Israel in nine years.
In his remarks, the prime minister said India and Israel have a united view that there is no place for terrorism in the world and both sides stand shoulder-to-shoulder in countering terrorism and its supporters.
"Our relationship is founded on the strong bedrock of deep trust, shared democratic values, and human sensitivities. Our bond has stood the test of every trial of time," he said.
"Today, we have taken the historic decision to elevate our time-tested partnership to the status of a 'Special Strategic Partnership'," he said.
The prime minister also announced the establishment of an India-Israel critical and emerging technologies partnership to impart a new momentum for cooperation in areas of artificial intelligence, quantum, and critical minerals. "I am pleased that an agreement has been reached for the use of UPI in Israel," he said.
The prime minister, referring to the threat of terrorism, said India and Israel will continue to confront the menace unitedly.
"India and Israel are completely clear that there is no place for terrorism in the world. In any form, in any expression, terrorism cannot be accepted," he said.
"We have stood shoulder-to-shoulder in opposing terrorism and its supporters, and we will continue to do so," he added.
India and Israel also discussed the implementation of the India-Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and cooperation under the framework of I2U2 (India-Israel-UAE-USA).
