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Principal of school, teacher suspended over Class 9 student’s suicide in Kerala
In Kerala, a headmistress and teacher were suspended after a class 9 boy's suicide prompted protests, with claims of bullying and mental stress involved.
The headmistress and a teacher of a higher secondary school in Kerala’s Palakkad district were suspended pending inquiry on Thursday, following massive student protests in the backdrop of the suicide of a class 9 boy.
The boy, a student of Kannadi Higher Secondary School, was found dead at his home on Tuesday evening after hinting to his friends about taking his own life.
The protesting students alleged that the class teacher named Asha pulled him up in front of others and caused him mental stress over some inappropriate messages he sent to another person on Instagram.
One of his classmates told local media, “The teacher threatened him, saying that a case will be filed against him with the cyber cell and that he will remain in jail for one and a half years.”
Another classmate of the victim said Asha and the headmistress beat him in the staff room and pulled his ears in front of others. “His hands were shaking at the time,” he said.
But the school officials claimed the actions of the class teacher were being distorted.
“It was the family of the boy who brought to our notice his messages on Instagram that were lewd in nature. The teacher only made him understand that such actions on Instagram would invite trouble. She only did her duty of warning him. Later we learned that he died that day. Our actions have in no way contributed to his death,” the headmistress Lissy said.
District Educational Officer Asif said that statements would be taken from the students of the school before taking further departmental inquiry against the teacher and the headmistress.
The Kuzhalmannam police have filed a case of unnatural death and a probe is on.
