Kerala principal in custody for keeping small boy in kennel

Thiruvananthapuram: In a shocking incident, a four-year-old child was locked up in a doghouse on the orders of his teacher as punishment for talking to friends in the UKG class of room of a nearby private school.

The incident, which allegedly happened on Thursday, came to light today as the parents with the support of local people protested before the private school, demanding immediate action against the principal. As the protest went on for a while, police took into custody the principal, Sasikala. Police said she was being interrogated, and preliminary investigation was on.

The school, located at Kudpapanakunnu on the outskirts of the state capital, has classes from LKG to the Class 7.

According to the complaint lodged by the parents, the child was shut up in the kennel on the premises of a house, where the school is run, after releasing the dog from its confinement. His elder sister, who also studies in the same school, happened to see her brother being detained in the kennel. Though she informed the principal of the plight of her little brother, she was allegedly threatened of serious consequences if the incident was reported to parents.

On reaching home, the girl, however, told her parents about the incident. The parents lodged a complaint with the local police and also intimated Childline workers, which led to action against the school principal.