17-year-old missing Ludhiana girl found dead in her school

A 17-year-old girl, who had gone missing on Monday evening, was found dead in the biology laboratory of Government Senior Secondary School for Girls, Gill village, on Tuesday. Some students had spotted her lifeless body hanging from the fan and raised the alarm.

Police have initiated inquest proceedings and sent the body to the civil hospital for post-mortem. The cops claim to have recovered a suicide note, in which the girl, who is a Class-12 commerce student, had written that she was taking the extreme step as her parents were planning to marry her off after her final exams. The girl’s parents, however, denied the claim.

They stated that she had gone to school as usual on Monday but did not return home. After waiting for some time, they had started a search for her but to no avail. They later filed a police complaint. On Tuesday morning, school authorities informed them about her suicide, they claimed. The girl is survived by her parents and two siblings.

As per sources, footage of the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed in the school had revealed that the girl had been wandering in the school building throughout the night. A CCTV grab showed her moving from Room Number 12 to another room.

Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Harnek Singh, who is investigating the case, said the girl’s life could have been saved if the guard had checked all the rooms properly before locking the school.

Taking note of the incident, district education officer (DEO), elementary-cum- secondary Rajinder Kaur visited the school and marked an inquiry. A two-member committee, comprising the principal of GSSS, Basti Jodhewal, and principal of GSSS, Ayali Khurd, was formed to look into the matter.

The DEO said, “It was necessary to mark an inquiry as this is a sensitive matter. The school authorities should have checked the classrooms before closing the school. This shows negligence on the part of the school authorities.”

School principal Smriti Bhargav said she was on leave and had learnt of the incident from some teachers.