COIMBATORE: A 14-year-old Class IX student of a government school in Valparai, who attempted suicide a few days ago, succumbed to her injuries at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital on Wednesday night.
Her death has triggered a bitter dispute between the family and the police, with the grieving relatives alleging persistent harassment by school teachers as the reason behind the extreme step.
The deceased, M. Sanjana, was a Class IX student at Rottikadai Government High School and resided in Valparai with her parents and younger sister.
According to authorities, the incident unfolded on October 10 when Sanjana was admitted to Valparai Government Hospital with severe burn injuries.
She reportedly stated that she had attempted to take her own life while alone at home. As her condition deteriorated, she was transferred to hospitals in Pollachi and then to CMCH, where she succumbed to her injuries.
Following her death, her family released a video statement recorded by Sanjana. In the video, the girl levelled serious allegations against three of her teachers. She claimed that her English teacher had mocked her appearance in front of the entire class for nearly a week. She also alleged that she was wrongly grouped with "slow learners" despite good academic performance and cited harassment by her Tamil and Science teachers as the reason for her extreme step.
Acting on these allegations, Sanjana’s father, Sakthivel Kumaran, filed a formal complaint with the district police on Thursday morning, demanding legal action against the teachers.
However, the police have presented a conflicting account. They claim to possess their own video statement from the victim, recorded during her treatment, in which she did not level any accusations against the school staff.
The Valparai police are investigating the case from all angles.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, seek help. You can contact the health department’s helpline at 104.)
The story is reported by R Kirubakaran for The New Indian Express
