Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath ordered an inquiry on Wednesday into alleged corporal punishment to as many as 29 girl students of Class 6 of a government school in Sagar district. The incident took place on Monday.

“Punishment to 29 girl students of government Kasturba Gandhi Middle School, Bhangarh in Bina (Sagar district) in respect with their homework has come to my notice. An inquiry has been ordered to look into the entire matter and instructions issued to take stern action against those found guilty in the inquiry,” he tweeted.

The girls, who were allegedly beaten up, are staying in a hostel associated with the school. They told hostel warden Seema Kaushal that their teacher Mamta Patel had assigned homework to them for the English language. When the teacher asked them questions during their class on Tuesday, she punished them even for a slight mistake in spelling, with a badminton racquet and a stick.

The injured students experienced swelling in their hands and legs, and were treated at a civil hospital in Bina.

“One hundred fifty girl students are staying in the hostel. Twenty nine of them complained to me on Monday regarding the physical punishment to them. Based on their complaints, the girls were taken to a government hospital for their medical examination.”

Kaushal and the affected students on Tuesday submitted a complaint to the police that the girls were beaten up by their teacher.

The teacher, Mamta Patel, meanwhile, denied the allegation. “The complaints regarding the physical punishment are baseless and fabricated. No such corporal punishment was given to the students,” she said.

“The district education officer in Sagar is looking into the complaints of the girl students,” said RN Shukla, Joint Director, school education, Sagar division.