An eight-month-old video of a student at a residential school in Karnataka’s Chitradurga district being physically assaulted, kicked and mercilessly punched by a teacher has sparked social media outrage countrywide.

Soon after the incident came to light, the teacher was arrested for allegedly assaulting a student at Shreeguru Thipperudraswamy’s residential Veda school in Nayakanahatti.

The incident surfaced after a disturbing video went viral on social media, showing the teacher brutally beating the student for using someone else’s mobile phone to call his grandmother.

The accused, Veeresh Hiremath, in the video is seen ignoring the child’s desperate pleas for mercy during the assault. Hiretamth beats, punches and kicks the student repeatedly in a fit of rage as other students look on helplessly.

Although the incident occurred eight months ago, it came to light only after the video was circulated online. The student later left the school after obtaining a Transfer Certificate.

Chitradurga SP Ranjith Kumar confirmed the arrest, claiming that the teacher was apprehended in Kalaburagi following the viral video. “A complaint was filed after the video came to our notice. Veeresh has been arrested and will be produced before the court. Further details will be revealed after the investigation,” he said.

In a separate case, police have acted against a private school in Sunkadakatte, Magadi Road, in Bengaluru earlier this week where a grade five student was allegedly beaten and confined to a room on October 14.

The child’s mother accused the school’s principal, Rakesh Kumar, and a teacher, Chandrika, of assaulting her son with a PVC pipe and locking him inside until late evening. Police questioned the principal, who has since been granted bail. According to officers, he admitted to physically punishing the child, allegedly due to irregular attendance.

Also read: Karnataka: School authorities booked for beating, confining class 5 student in room