Named in MeToo post, 14-yr-old in Gurugram kills himself, say police

The suicide was witnessed by a close friend of the victim in another building, who said he went to check on the teen but did not report the suicide.

Updated on: May 6, 2020, 10:07:44 IST

Hindustan Times, Gurugram | By Leena Dhankhar

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A 14-year-old boy in Gurugram committed suicide late on Monday after being accused by a girl of molestation on social media, police said on Tuesday, amid outrage triggered by the discovery of an Instagram group where several schoolboys purportedly discussed sexual violence.

Police said the teen jumped off his family home on the 11th floor of an apartment building, hours after he was named by a girl in a “MeToo” post on Instagram that came on a day when the “Bois Locker Room” group controversy went viral. “No suicide note was found but messages retrieved from the boy’s phone showed that fellow students warned him that he will be questioned by the police ,” said an officer. HT has seen screenshots of the posts made by the girl as well as other students who messaged the boy. The girl posted that she was attacked two years ago and “was tired of keeping it a secret”, before describing the alleged incident in the basement of her apartment complex and naming him.

The suicide was witnessed by a close friend of the victim in another building, who said he went to check on the teen but did not report the suicide. Deepak Kumar, station house officer of sector 53 police station said the guards heard a thud and rushed to the spot. “They found the boy in a pool of blood and informed the family around 11.30 pm. He was rushed to the hospital where doctors declared him dead.” Officers said they will question students, including the girl who posted and those who commented on it.

The police started a suicide inquiry under Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure after parents refused to file a complaint. Deepak Mathur, the forensic expert who conducted the autopsy, said: “There were multiple injuries, including head injury, which caused the death”.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More