Tension has risen in India after the emergence of a viral video that showed a private elementary school teacher, identified as Tripta Tyagi, asking students to take turns slapping a seven-year-old Muslim student over mathematics.

The incident occurred at the Neha Public School in Uttar Pradesh state last Thursday. It showed the visibly dejected boy weeping as his classmates took turns slapping him on the order of the 60-year-old teacher for failing to memorise the multiplication table.

“Why are you slapping him so gently? Can you not hit him harder?” At one point she says, “His face has turned red. Now, hit him around his waist,” the teacher, who is the head of the school, said in the video that was secretly recorded by a cousin of the victim’s father.

Mrs Tyagi’s action has prompted widespread criticism and condemnation from social activists, child rights campaigners and others, who took to social media with the #ArrestTriptaTyagi to call for justice.

Students of Jawaharlal Nehru University even burned an effigy of Mrs Tyagi in protest as they demanded her arrest. Recently, there has been heightened tension between Hindu nationalists and Muslims in India which sometimes results in violence.

Speaking on the incident, Muzaffarnagar police chief, Satyanarayan Prajapat, said the parents of the child had filed a complaint with the police and the video had been verified as relevant authorities are expected to take action.

“The video contained inappropriate remarks (by Tyagi). Relevant authorities have been notified about the incident. Appropriate actions will be initiated against the teacher,” Mr Prajapat said, as per VOA.