In a shocking incident, a guest teacher beat a class IV student with an iron rod to death at a government higher primary school in Gadag district’s Hadali village on Monday.
Bharat Barker (10) died of injuries en route hospital. The suspect, Muttappa Hadagali alias Kuri, assaulted the boy’s mother, also a guest teacher at the school, when she tried to prevent her colleague from beating her son. Geeta Yellappa Barker, who suffered grievous injuries, has been rushed to KIMS, Hubballi.
Another teacher, Sangangouda Patil, also suffered injuries when he tried to intervene.
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On Monday morning, Muttappa Hadagali assaulted Bharat with a rod and pushed the boy from the first floor of the school even as the headmaster, staff and students looked on in disbelief at the abominable cruelty. The suspect fled the scene when a group of staff tried to overpower him.
Headmaster B S Yavagal rushed the mother-son duo to Nargund hospital. The doctors at the taluk hospital referred both victims to KIMS Hubballi. The boy died en route Hubballi, the headmaster said.
“I rushed out of my office when I heard the scream and a thud. He tried to attack me. I somehow managed to escape. He soon managed to escape. I don’t know why the teacher attacked the student,” the headmaster told DH.
The heinous act sparked panic among students and parents.
Deputy Commissioner M L Vaishali, SP Shivaprakash Devaraju, PI Mallayya Matapathi and DDPI Basavalingappa visited the school and took stock of the situation.
The Naragund police have registered a case and launched a manhunt for the suspect.
