Apart from ensuring that justice will prevail regarding the alleged death by suicide of a 17-year-old girl in Thanjavur, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, Minister for School Education, Government of Tamil Nadu, on January 24, urged everyone not to politicise the death. He also assured that an enquiry in all aspects is already underway.
An explanation has been sought from the missionary school, where the teenager was studying, by the school education department plus, enquires with students and former students, especially regarding the alleged forced conversion bid, had also begun, the minister informed, as per a report in PTI.
"The truth behind the death of the girl by suicide will be ascertained and those responsible will certainly be punished," Poyyamozhi shared, as reported by PTI.
It was on January 9 that the plus-two student consumed poison and on January 15, her condition deteriorated. She was taken to Thanjavur College Hospital and it was here that she gave her declaration that implicated the warden and died on January 19.
As per the FIR, it was at a school hostel that the student was residing and there, the warden was allegedly forcing her to do domestic chores on January 9. The warden was then arrested and remanded by the Thirukattupalli police after the Thanjavur judicial magistrate took the dying declaration.
The BJP members of the district are claiming that it was because the girl was forced to convert to Christianity that she chose to die by suicide and in the same regard, even staged an agitation plus condemned the police.
"Though the school is run by Christian missionaries, a fairly large number of Hindu students study in this school. Though the allegation of coercing the girl to convert to Christianity appears to be remote, enquiries with the students and those who had passed out from the school are on," the minister said.
After the incident, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu MK Stalin got in touch with him and even conferred with senior education department officials, informed the minister.
"At present enquiry is on and the guilty will be punished," the minister said. He also informed that the DMK government will not tolerate any kind of discrimination on caste, religion or political basis. Answering a question, he denied that the warden, who is a senior citizen, could have tried to forcibly convert either the girl or her parents.
"This appears to be untrue as the warden who has already been arrested, had paid the student's fee," the minister said.
