13-year-old Muslim student slits teacher’s throat and stabs her to death in Chennai

Chennai boy ‘slits teacher’s throat and stabs her to death in classroom’
Source SIFY Feb 09, 2012

Chennai: A 42-year-old teacher was allegedly murdered by a 15-year-old class IX student at a private school in North Chennai because the student was apparently “angry” at the teacher for “scolding” him.

The teacher, Uma Maheshwari, who teaches science and Hindi at the St Mary’s Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School, was found stabbed in her stomach with slash wounds on the throat inside the classroom.

The students in the school — located on Armenian Street in Parry’s Corner — saw the teacher in a pool of blood and informed the superiors.

News reports say the student walked in when the classroom was empty during post-period sessions and attacked her with a knife.

The teacher died from the wounds before she could be taken to a hospital.

The boy is currently being questioned under police custody.

Class 9 student stabs teacher to death

AGENCIES | Chennai, February 9, 2012 19:28

Chennai, on Thursday bore witness to an unprecedented tragedy – a class 9 student stabbed to death his teacher in a Chennai schools for complaining to his parents about his poor academic performance. Student violence of this nature does not have too many precedents in India and many see in this as a reflection of the falling respect for teachers in the country.

Mohammed Irfan of St. Mary’s Anglo-Indian School killed Uma Maheswari, who taught Hindi and Science, in the classroom. The act was premeditated as he had smuggled a knife into the school for the purpose, said a visibly shaken Father A. Bosco, school administrator. Maheswari, a mother of two, raised an alarm when Irfan started stabbing her but before others could come to her rescue she bled to death. She was rushed to the Government General Hospital where doctors declared her dead.

While the event is tragic, many do not see it as unexpected, given the media attention given to the lapses of teachers in the recent past. “It is shocking, but it was expected to happen given the attitude of the parents and the media towards school teachers,” K.B. Sreevidya, education officer, Srimathi Sundaravalli Memorial School said.

“When we were in school our parents respected the teachers and did not get angry when our mistakes were pointed out and corrective actions were suggested. Caning of students was prevalent then and no parent complained against the teachers,” she added.

She said in contrast, teacher are nowadays hauled up in police stations for punishing the students and the media highlights the incidents, which emboldens the students further. Sreevidya added that the absence of moral instruction periods in school nowadays is also a factor for the indiscipline among students. According to her, disturbed students will avoid eye contact with teachers, and act very obediently, whereas an entirely opposite picture will be presented towards school/class mates.