A teacher in Maharashtra has been arrested after a Class 6 student died allegedly as a result of being forced to do 100 sit-ups as punishment for being late to school. The incident has sparked outrage and led to the teacher being booked for culpable homicide.

The student, 13-year-old Kajal Gaud, a student at Shri Hanumant Vidyamandir High School in Vasai (East), was punished on November 8, along with approximately 50 other students for arriving late. The teacher, Mamta Yadav, allegedly made Kajal perform 100 sit-ups while carrying her school bag. After returning home, Kajal complained of severe pain, and her condition deteriorated in the following days. She was admitted to a hospital in Vasai and later moved to JJ Hospital in Byculla, where she died a week later on November 14.

Following the girl's death, Kajal's father, Sikandar Gaur, filed a police complaint. The Waliv police subsequently registered a First Information Report (FIR) and arrested Mamta Yadav on Wednesday. Yadav has been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

According to police reports, Mamta Yadav was aware that Kajal was physically weak and that young children may not have the physical capacity to do 100 sit-ups. Despite this knowledge, she allegedly punished Kajal, leading to extreme physical exertion that is believed to have caused injuries, swelling in her lungs, and breathing difficulties. A postmortem examination confirmed swelling in Kajal's lungs. Kajal also had a pre-existing condition of anemia.

The school has claimed they were unaware of Kajal's health issues. However, police investigations suggest that Yadav, along with other school authorities, knew that Kajal suffered from weakness and other ailments. The Education Department and the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) have launched parallel inquiries into the incident. The education department is also investigating the school for allegedly running classes for grades 9 and 10 despite only having permission to teach up to grade 8.

The incident has prompted strong reactions from the local community and political groups. Authorities have removed the teacher from the private school at Sativali in the Vasai area. Police have stated that the investigation is in its early stages and that charges may be brought against anyone found to be at fault.