A school is supposed to be one of the safest places for a child outside their home. Parents send their children to classrooms believing that teachers, school administrators and security personnel will protect them. But a disturbing incident at Shaheed Major Anuj Rajput Government Model Sanskriti Senior Secondary School in Sector 20, Panchkula, has raised serious questions about whether that responsibility was fulfilled.

On October 28, 2026, a six-year-old kindergarten student was allegedly brutally assaulted inside the school premises by an eight-year-old Class III student. The incident reportedly took place inside an empty classroom and was captured on CCTV cameras.

The child sustained serious head and facial injuries and required treatment at PGIMER, Chandigarh. She was discharged on November 4 after approximately a week of hospitalisation.

But beyond the immediate tragedy, a much bigger question demands answers: How could such an incident take place inside a government school, and where was the school administration when a six-year-old child needed protection?

CCTV Footage Raises Serious Questions About School Supervision

According to media reports, CCTV footage showed the alleged assault taking place inside a classroom. The girl was reportedly struck repeatedly with objects, including a brick, and was left unconscious.

The victim's family alleged that the child remained inside the classroom for a prolonged period before being discovered.

The circumstances raise several questions about the school's supervision arrangements:

• Why was a young child able to enter an isolated classroom without effective intervention?
• Where were the teachers and other responsible staff members?
• Who was monitoring the CCTV cameras during the incident?
• Why was the injured child not immediately located?
• What arrangements existed to ensure that kindergarten students were safely handed over to their parents?

These are not minor administrative questions. They concern the fundamental responsibility of a school to protect children entrusted to its care.

An Earlier Complaint at the Same School Raises Additional Concerns

An important historical development deserves attention.

A report published by The Indian Express in its Chandigarh coverage records an earlier complaint involving Government Model Sanskriti Senior Secondary School, Sector 20, Panchkula.

According to the report, the Department of Secondary Education had suspended a school librarian, Sadhu Ram, following complaints from girl students in Classes VI to X regarding his alleged inappropriate behaviour during adjustment classes.

The students reportedly complained that boys were sent outside while girls remained inside the classroom, and that the librarian's conduct made them uncomfortable.

The department directed the school principal to lodge an FIR against the employee.

This was a separate historical matter and does not establish that the present school administration committed the same misconduct. However, it makes one question particularly important: What child-protection and complaint-monitoring mechanisms were subsequently implemented at this institution, and were they effective?

The Education Department should make the historical complaint records and subsequent compliance measures available for public scrutiny.

Principal and Teachers Suspended, FIR Registered Against School Staff

The incident has already resulted in departmental and police action.

According to The Tribune, two teachers were suspended following alleged negligence. The school principal, identified as Neelu, was also subsequently suspended by the School Education Department.

Panchkula Police registered an FIR against the principal, the class in-charge and a school watchman over alleged negligence.

The case includes provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights also took cognisance of the incident and sought CCTV footage, staff duty rosters, attendance records and details of the school's supervision arrangements.

These developments indicate that the incident is not being treated merely as a classroom dispute. The conduct of the institution and its staff is also under investigation.

Haryana Government Must Answer for School Safety

The Haryana Government constituted a five-member inquiry committee following the incident and announced a comprehensive safety audit of schools across the state.

The Education Minister also stated that those found responsible would face action.

However, announcements and suspension orders alone cannot restore public confidence.

Parents deserve clear answers about the following:

1. Has the inquiry established who was responsible for supervising the children at the time of the assault?
2. Was the CCTV monitoring system functioning properly, and who was responsible for monitoring it?
3. Why was the injured student not located and provided immediate assistance?
4. Were the prescribed child-safety guidelines being followed by the school?
5. What action will be taken if the inquiry establishes negligence by school officials?
6. Has the government reviewed earlier child-safety complaints involving this institution?

The government must publish the inquiry findings and explain what corrective measures will be implemented.

Is Panchkula's Government School System Safe Enough for Young Children?

The incident has become a serious warning for parents whose children study in government schools.

A child attending kindergarten is particularly dependent on adults for basic safety, supervision and protection. Schools must have functioning surveillance arrangements, adequate staff deployment, secure classroom access and reliable child handover procedures.

If a child can allegedly be taken into an isolated classroom and suffer serious injuries without timely intervention, the institution's safety arrangements require urgent examination.

The responsibility does not end with suspending a principal or two teachers. Accountability must extend to the officials responsible for monitoring school safety and ensuring that established protocols are implemented.

The Bigger Question: Who Will Take Responsibility?

The six-year-old girl has returned home after receiving treatment, but the incident has left serious questions about the safety of children inside educational institutions.

The Haryana Government must ensure that the inquiry is transparent, that responsibility is established through evidence and that corrective action is not limited to this one school.

Parents should not have to worry about whether their children will return home safely after attending school.

A government school cannot claim to provide a safe learning environment unless it can demonstrate that children's protection is its first responsibility.

The people of Panchkula deserve answers. More importantly, every child deserves a school where safety is guaranteed through accountability, supervision and action—not merely promised in official statements.