THE BULLY AND THE BULLIED

The prevalence of bullying in India is very high. With easy access to internet and social media, it has only got worse. There is a need for awareness and resources in how to handle not just the victims but also the perpetrators with care

- Pooja Biraia Jaiswal

Do not send your son to school tomorrow. If you do, he will return soaked in blood or dead.

This chilling statement was made by an eighth grader. He had called up his classmate’s mother to warn her of dire consequences. Just half an hour before the call, he had pushed the classmate in front of a moving truck while on their way back from evening tuition. Luckily, a passerby pulled the classmate away in time and saved his life. Though uninjured, it left a scar on his mind and he did not attend school for the next three days. His parents approached the school trustees and pressured them to take action against the bully before their son could resume school. The bully's parents were summoned. This was not the first time they were called in, as there had been multiple complaints against him. But this was the first time they were facing the trustees, principal, teachers and other parents together.