Berhampur: A CCTV video allegedly showing the headmaster of a government school in Odisha’s Ganjam district thrashing students and hurling abuses inside a classroom went viral on social media on Friday, drawing widespread condemnation.
The incident was reported from Dengadi Shyama Sundar High School under Sanakhemundi block.
In the disturbing footage, headmaster Sanjay Pal is seen entering the classroom in a fit of rage with a stick, verbally abusing the children, and repeatedly striking them. The students appear visibly distressed and fearful.
The video’s rapid spread across platforms has led to sharp criticism from parents, locals, and netizens, who questioned the use of corporal punishment despite legal prohibitions. Many have also raised concerns about how the internal school CCTV footage was accessed and leaked online.
Parents and community members are demanding a thorough and impartial inquiry into both the headmaster’s alleged misconduct and the circumstances surrounding the video’s circulation.
When contacted, the accused headmaster denied the allegations in the manner portrayed and claimed that the school’s Physical Education Teacher (PET), Shambhupani Swain, was responsible for leaking the video to defame him. He stated that the matter had already been reported to the District Education Officer (DEO).
Sources said that the DEO has directed the school’s managing committee to launch a formal inquiry into the headmaster’s conduct.
While education officials have assured of strict disciplinary measures, the episode has reignited broader debates on student safety and discipline practices in schools. Corporal punishment has been banned in all educational institutions, both government and private, in Odisha since September 2004.
