A 13-year-old girl studying in Class 6 died on Friday, almost a week after she was allegedly forced to perform 100 sit-ups as punishment for arriving late at her school in Maharashtra’s Palghar district, PTI reported.

The incident took place on November 8 at Shri Hanumant Vidya Mandir in Vasai (East) and the girl died on Friday night at Mumbai’s JJ Hospital, The Times of India reported.

The girl’s family said that she and a few other students had been punished for being about ten minutes late to school, the newspaper reported.

Her mother was quoted as saying by the PTI that when the child returned home on November 8 evening she was complaining of severe neck and back pain and was unable to move freely. Her condition worsened rapidly and she had difficulty breathing after which she was taken to a hospital.

The mother alleged that the girl had been forced to do sit-ups with her schoolbag on her back, calling the punishment “inhuman” and claimed that it led to her death, PTI reported.

She added that when she confronted the teacher, she was told that the students were punished for being late.

“The teacher justified the punishment, saying the parents otherwise accuse them of not teaching the students despite paying fees,” PTI quoted the mother as saying.

A member of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena told The Times of India that the child had a pre-existing health condition related to asthma and may not have been able to withstand the physical strain.

The Waliv Police have registered an accidental death report and said they were awaiting the post-mortem report before determining further action, The Indian Express reported.

The local education department has initiated an inquiry. Vasai education officer Sonali Matekar told the newspaper that a preliminary report confirmed that several students had been made to do sit-ups by a teacher identified as Mamta Yadav.

Matekar said a committee would conduct a detailed inquiry based on which action will be taken.

“Corporal punishment is prohibited under law and schools along with teachers have been made aware of it time and again,” The Indian Express quoted her as saying.

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