500 sit-ups as 'punishment,' 13-yr-old student hospitalised, principal held

Mumbai: Police in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra have arrested a 45-year-old school principal for allegedly asking a student to do 500 sit-ups for not completing project work.

The student, a girl studying in standard 8, took ill while undergoing the inhuman punishment and had to be admitted to a hospital.

"We arrested Ashwini Dewan, the principal, yesterday under IPC sections 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 337 (act endangering life or personal safety of another person) and 506 (criminal intimidation)," said a senior official of Chandgad tehsil police.

Dewan was later released on bail, he said.

On November 24, Dewan allegedly asked eight students of standard 8 at the privately-run Shri Bhavashwari Sandesh Vidyalay in Kanoor Budrook village of Chandgad tehsil to do 500 sit-ups for not doing project work.

One of the girls, who is 13 years old, took ill while doing sit-ups and was hospitalised.

On December 10, a police complaint was lodged against the principal.

Following the incident, the principal was sent on compulsory leave by the school management, the police official said.