2 teachers booked over suicide of class 7 student in Kerala

A case has been registered against two teachers of a government aided school in connection with the suicide of a class 7 student, who was found hanging in his home in this coastal district recently.

The victim’s family alleged that the boy took the extreme step on February 15 evening at home after being subjected to physical and mental torture by some teachers in the school.

A police officer said the teachers were booked under IPC Section 324 (voluntarily causing hurt) and Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act which is non-bailable.

As per the complaint of the parents, the teachers had beaten up their son with a cane in front of other students. ”The parents also claimed that he took the extreme step due to the physical and mental harrassment of the teachers,” the officer said on Monday.

An investigation has been launched and further action would be taken only after that, he added.

However, the officer didn’t divulge other details of the accused teachers.

The case was registered a week after the school had witnessed a major protest over the suicide of the student.

Activists of the Students Federation of India (SFI), the students’ wing of the ruling CPI (M), on February 19 took out a protest march to the school demanding that the management take action against the accused teachers.

Relatives have alleged that 13-year-old Prajith, a native of Kattoor here, was found depressed when he came home from the school on February 15.

Later, he was found hanging in the room by his brother.