Family members of a nine-year-old Dalit boy from India's Rajasthan state, have alleged that the child who died at a hospital in Ahmedabad on Saturday, was beaten by a teacher for drinking water from a pot meant for upper caste people.
The boy sustained serious injuries on the face and ears from the accused teacher, Chail Singh (40), who has now been arrested, police said on Sunday.
A video of the severely injured boy lying on a stretcher in the hospital went viral.
Warning: some viewers may find the following video disturbing.
Rajasthan state chief Ashok Gehlot took to Twitter to condemn the incident and pledged to carry out a speedy investigation, along with offering compensation of INR 500,000 ($6,279) from the relief fund for the family of the deceased.
“The death of a pupil because of an assault by a teacher in a private school in Jalore is tragic. The teacher who has been accused of the act has been arrested under sections of the murder and SC/ST Act,” Gehlot tweeted in Hindi.
Rajasthan state legislator Rajendra Singh Rathore condemned the incident and demanded strict action against the teacher.