A 16-year-old Grade 10 student from a popular school in Wennappuwa has tragically passed away after being hospitalized for over three months. She died on November 13 while receiving treatment at the Ragama Teaching Hospital.
According to the post-mortem examination, the cause of death was brain bleeding caused by an alleged assault by two of her teachers.
The incident happened on August 9 when the student and a classmate were late returning to class. The teachers reportedly punished her by hitting her and forcing her to kneel after accusing her of giving inconsistent explanations for the delay.
After the assault, the student was taken to Marawila Hospital, where she underwent head surgery. She was later transferred to the Colombo National Hospital for specialized care and then to Ragama Hospital for physiotherapy. Despite these efforts, she succumbed to her injuries.
The two teachers involved, aged 39 and 57, were initially arrested and later released on bail in September. However, following the student’s death, they were re-arrested on November 14 and remanded until November 18.
The police attempted to record the student’s statement three times during her treatment, but her critical condition in the ICU made this impossible.
Her body was handed over to her family on November 15. This heartbreaking incident has raised serious concerns about the use of physical punishment in schools.