By The Hindu Bureau

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A Class 2 student at a private primary school in Panipat, Haryana, allegedly suffered physical abuse at the hands of the school bus driver. The driver purportedly tied the seven-year-old boy’s feet with a cord to a window grille, hanging him upside down as punishment for “misbehaviour”, and filmed the act.

The incident that took place over a month ago came to light when the boy’s mother stumbled upon the video on Instagram on Saturday. “The incident took place on August 13 on the school premises when the bus driver hung my son upside down and slapped him for alleged misbehaviour. But he was too scared to disclose it to us,” she told The Hindu over phone.

The mother said she went to the driver’s house, along with the school principal and a few teachers, but he did not meet them. “He told me over phone that he had punished the boy at the behest of the principal,” she said.

However, the principal denied this, saying the driver was only told to scold the boy as he was “naughty” . The principal said the driver was dismissed a month ago after several parents complained about his “misbehaviour” with students, including girls, in the school bus.

The police have registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Juvenile Justice Act. Investigating Officer Sunil Dutt said the statement of the boy would be recorded after counseling, and that the matter is being probed.

District Education Officer, Panipat, Rakesh Boora said action would be taken against the school authorities after a thorough probe.