ARAU: A seven-year-old boy died after he was allegedly tied up and repeatedly assaulted by a teacher at a religious school hostel here.
Saiful Syazani Saiful Sopfidee (pix), who was admitted to the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital with multiple head injuries two days ago, died at about 8am yesterday.
It is believed that the boy was beaten for two hours after being accused on Thursday night by the 26-year-old teacher of stealing from the Sekolah Agama Al-Furqan hostel.
Saiful Syazani's adoptive mother Hazirah Chin, 38, said she received a call from the school informing her that the boy had been admitted to the Tuanku Fauziah Hospital in Kangar after being injured.
“The teacher, who is also the hostel warden, told me that he needed my consent to transfer my son to the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital as his condition was worsening.
“When I arrived at the Tuanku Fauziah Hospital, a doctor told me that he believed my son was tied up before being assaulted as there were rope marks on his wrists,” she said.
Hazirah, who had been raising Saiful Syazani since his mother died in 2007, described him as an obedient and cheerful child who never complained of any problem in school.
“I decided to send him to a religious school as he was keen on Islamic studies. I last saw him when I sent him to his hostel on March 27,” said Hazirah, who has four children of her own.
The boy was buried at the Muslim cemetery in Kampung Tok Paduka last night.
Saiful Syazani's father Saiful Sopfidee Marzuki, 34, said the boy was put up for adoption after his wife died.
“The last time I met him was a year ago as I lived in Langkawi and only moved back to Jitra recently,” he said, adding that he had lodged a police report after seeing the bruises.
When contacted, the school authorities declined to comment.
Perlis CID chief Supt Mohd Nashir Ya said the teacher was detained at about 10pm on Saturday. The case has been classified as murder.
In Kuala Lumpur, Deputy Education Minister Dr Mohd Puad Zakarshi said it could not take any action against the teacher because it was a private school, but added that the matter was now in the hands of the police.
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