Latecomer Gujarat student slaps teacher, says who are you to question me; arrested

A late arrival for a Class 12 preliminary examination turned violent at a school in Gujarat’s Panchmahal district, where a student allegedly slapped a woman teacher after she questioned him about his delay. The incident, captured on CCTV, has sparked outrage among teachers and raised serious concerns over safety and discipline in educational institutions.

According to the police, the incident occurred on January 24 at SJ Dave High School in Shehra town. The 18-year-old student, Mohammed Khan Ansari, arrived late for the second preliminary test. When the female invigilator asked him the reason for his delay, he allegedly retorted, “No one asks me anything at home, so who are you to question me?” He then slapped the teacher on her cheek, pushed her and fled the classroom.

Police said the incident was recorded on the school’s CCTV cameras and later went viral, triggering widespread outrage. On the same day, the accused’s father reportedly apologised to the teacher and the in-charge principal, Vipul Pathak.

However, the matter escalated further on January 27 when the student allegedly returned to the school with his father and a group of 15 to 20 people. Police said the group threatened the teacher, telling her that she lived alone in the town and warning her of harm.

Based on the teacher’s complaint, an FIR was registered at the Shehra police station on February 3 against the student, four named persons and 15 to 20 others. Police have arrested three accused so far.

Police Inspector Ankur Chaudhary said the police carried out a reconstruction of the incident in the presence of the teacher to understand the sequence of events. He clarified that the accused were not paraded publicly but that the reconstruction followed standard procedure.

The student was later produced before a court, which granted him bail on Friday. The accused, however, claimed that he had returned to the school with others only to apologise to the teacher and the school staff.

The incident has led to anger among teachers across the district, with demands for strict action against those involved and anyone supporting such acts. Police said further investigation in the case is ongoing.