Ever since the death of a 17-year-old student in Kallakurichi, the town of Chinnasalem in the district has been witnessing violent protests with mobs attacking the school campus where the student studied, ramming school buses with tractors and setting them on fire. While the violence has left behind a trail of ruin, what exactly happened in the case? What are the allegations levelled against school authorities?
What happened on the morning of July 13?
A 17-year-old girl studying in Class XII in a private residential school in Chinnasalem was found dead on July 13 on the hostel premises, according to a report by PTI. The girl, who lived on the third floor of the hostel, was suspected to have ended her life by jumping to the ground from the top floor. Hospital authorities have said that the girl appeared to have died due to a haemorrhage and shock due to multiple injuries, according to the autopsy report. However, while the school alleges that it was a suicide, parents allege that there was foul play involved.
What allegations have been made by the school’s alumni and the girl’s family?
Following the day of their daughter’s death, family and relatives staged a sit-in protest blaming the school management and demanding further action to be taken. Reports have suggested that the school’s alumni and the family contest that the girl was allegedly sexually assaulted prior to her death. They also alleged that the school is trying to hide foul play. As a result, her father filed a petition before the Madras High Court suspecting that she was killed.
The petitioner mentioned that his wife reached the school on Wednesday, July 13 and found blood on the floor where their daughter was alleged to have fallen. The petitioner also stated that her blood-stained palm marks were also found near the place of occurrence which could also suggest that this was a case of homicide and the girl might have struggled before dying. However, days after the family's complaint, no arrests were made by the police. The case was transferred to the Central Bureau of Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) and the Madras HC will hear the writ petition today, July 18.
What happened at the protests held on Sunday?
Adding to the social media campaigns on Twitter and Facebook that sought justice for the student, angry mobs and protestors torched and vandalised the school property on Sunday, July 17. They also clashed with the police, broke past barricades and burnt police vans. Following such violence, Section 144 was imposed in parts of the district. Chief Minister MK Stalin also said that the situation in Kallakurichi was “deplorable” and that those behind the death will be punished based on the police investigation.
He appealed to the public to remain calm and trust the government’s actions. Meanwhile, many private school associations, while expressing solidarity with the student’s death, also condemned the protests that turned violent. Several private schools have also decided to remain closed today, July 18, to mark their solidarity.
Has Tamil Nadu always been controversial for its history of student suicides?
Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) shows that cases of suicide are rising every year with the percentage going up sharply by 21.9 per cent since 2019. Many students in the state have also lost their lives due to the fear of not clearing the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). In fact, more than 20 NEET aspirants have died by suicide in the state in the last few years as they failed to secure the required marks in the NEET exam for admission to medical colleges, according to reports.
