SEWA NYAYA UTTHAN FOUNDATION
Service. Justice. Inclusion
Durg, Chhattisgarh: Nearly a year after a 3.5-year-old nursery student was beaten and had her mouth taped shut by a school principal for greeting with the words “Radhe Radhe”, the child’s family has received Rs 50,000 as compensation from the school management through the state government, marking a major development in a case that drew national attention.
The compensation is because Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation (SNU) escalated the case to National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), where member Priyank Kanoongo took cognisance of the case and pursued it.
The incident took place in August 2025 at Mother Teresa School in Bagdumar village under the Nandini area of Durg district.
According to the child’s father, Praveen Yadav, the nursery student returned home visibly distressed and later disclosed that Principal Ila Evan Colvin had beaten her and taped her mouth shut for nearly fifteen minutes after she greeted with the words “Radhe Radhe”.
Following intervention by village representatives, an FIR was registered against the principal. She was arrested but was granted bail the same day.
The family said that only minor sections were invoked and that the principal resumed duties shortly thereafter. Disturbed by the incident, the parents eventually withdrew the child from the school.
The child’s family belongs to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category and faced significant challenges in pursuing the matter.
The case subsequently reached the National Human Rights Commission after a complaint was filed by Swati Goel Sharma, founder of Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation.
The complaint raised concerns relating to child abuse, religious discrimination, protection of children’s rights, and the response of local authorities.
Taking cognisance of the matter under Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, the Commission issued notices to the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police, Durg.
The Bench presided over by NHRC Member Priyank Kanoongo observed that the allegations disclosed prima facie serious concerns involving the rights and dignity of a minor child and sought an Action Taken Report from the authorities.
Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation also extended direct support to the child and her family. The Foundation facilitated her admission into another school and undertook responsibility for her educational expenses to ensure that her studies were not disrupted due to the incident.
Following months of proceedings before the Commission, NHRC Member Priyank Kanoongo in March 2026 directed the Chhattisgarh Government to provide Rs 50,000 compensation to the child for the violation of her rights.
In a further development, Rs 50000 compensation has been paid to the child’s family.
The compensation comes after sustained legal and institutional scrutiny of the matter and represents a significant measure of accountability in a case involving the treatment of a nursery student inside an educational institution.
Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation welcomed the development and stated that the outcome demonstrates the importance of pursuing legal remedies in cases involving violations of children’s rights, irrespective of the social or economic background of the victim.
The Foundation reiterated its commitment to supporting victims of injustice and ensuring that vulnerable families are able to access legal, institutional, and educational support when their rights are violated.
