Officers arrested teachers Akshay Inglekar and his wife Anandi Hindulkar for mercilessly assaulting 16-year-old Deepak Rathod, a mentally challenged boy, in the school in Bagalkot town.
His father complained that Askhay attacked the boy with a belt and a plastic pipe, while his wife Anandi threw chilli powder in the boy’s eyes.
The police have also taken into custody fellow teachers Vitthal and Vishal. A First Information Report (FIR) also names Ravikant Budihal, among others, who have been arrested.
It lists offences under the Juvenile Justice Act and Prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act and BNS and other laws.
The incident is three months old. But the boy’s parents learnt of the offence after a video surfaced on social media. The boy’s father Ashok Rathod has filed the complaint.
A team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Gajanan Sutar inspected the place and seized material used for the attack.
The police also helped officials of the Women and Child Welfare Department shift the victim to safety. Officers said that 11 of the 32 children have been sent to other schools or are back with their parents. The rest will be rehabilitated soon, they said.
Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar said that she has instructed officials to close down the school and rehabilitate the children by sending them to other public facilities, with the permission of their parents.
She said that an inspection by District Disabled Welfare Officer and the Joint Director of the Women and Child Welfare Department has found that the residential school has not obtained due permissions.
“Strict legal action will be taken against it,” she added.
Published – December 21, 2025 07:36 pm IST
