Slapped by teacher, student dies of head injury

An eight-year-old has died after she fell unconscious on being allegedly slapped by the school teacher.

The alleged death of Iftesham, a school student in Kolkata has caused widespread outrage.

The school says that it has taken action against the teacher who has been accused of slapping the child and causing her death.

Angry parents outside the Vidya Bharati School in Kolkata demand answers. The death of the girl has brought them out on to the streets. They demand that the teacher, Anita Das, be punished.

"We also want punishment for the errant teacher. She has brought disgrace not only to our school but also to the entire teaching community," said Anjana Mallick, the Principal of Bidya Bharati School.

Doctors say Iftesham sustained a serious head injury from the slap. Although a blood clot in her brain was removed it, it was too late to save the little girl.

One of the child's classmate said, "Our Yoga teacher slapped Iftesham and then she fainted. Two of our teachers immediately removed her from class. They later told us that Iftesham had to be admitted in hospital."

The school has now terminated the accused teacher's contract. But the victim's mother is inconsolable.

Nazreen Chowdhury, Iftesham's mother said, "I want to meet the teacher and ask her what wrong could my child have done that she had to be killed."

Police have registered a case of death due to negligence against the yoga teacher. She is absconding and is yet to be arrested.