Coimbatore: A class XI student allegedly died by suicide at his residence in Peelamedu here following an alleged caste-based harassment and bullying regarding his choice of eating beef, police said on Friday.

The incident occurred on October 21. The deceased boy's mother in a complaint filed with the police claimed that the harassment escalated about two months ago.

The victim was studying at a government-aided school.

Police said a class teacher asked the students to disclose their caste background to select Scheduled Caste students for a scholarship programme. Also, he enquired about the children's food choices seeking to know if they consumed beef. Thereafter, the boy, aged 16, and a few others admitted that they were SC and that they ate beef.

However, this disclosure led to bullying of the particular boy, isolation and taunts by his classmates a few days later, police said.

In her complaint the boy's mother said that her son complained about the repeated taunts to the class teacher and school principal but no action was taken. The mental distress made him commit suicide by hanging, she alleged in the complaint.

The Peelamedu police booked cases against four individuals--the principal, class teacher and two of the victim's classmates under BNS for abetment of suicide and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and arrested the class teacher.

The Tamil Nadu State Commission for Adi Dravidar and Tribal Communities has sought a report from Coimbatore City Police commissioner on the death and also asked for details on the action taken against those responsible for the incident.

This report was published from a wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.