Pune Court Clears Teacher in Student Death Case

A teacher from a spiritual boarding school in Alandi, Pune, has been acquitted by a sessions court of charges including attempted murder and culpable homicide. The case stemmed from the death of an 11-year-old student in March 2020, following alleged assault. The court, in its February 16 judgment, stated that prosecution evidence was "brittle and scanty," insufficient to prove the charges. The judge noted a lack of clarity regarding the injury's severity and highlighted that fellow student witnesses did not corroborate the prosecution's narrative. The court also pointed to deficiencies in the investigation process. The accused teacher, arrested in February 2020, was released on bail in January 2023.