Student commits suicide for not getting smartphone for online classes

Chamarajnagar: An SSLC student committed suicide by consuming pesticide after she was not given a smartphone for online classes at the taluk’s Sagade village.

The deceased has been identified as Harshita (15), a student of Sagade Government High School.

Rajesh informed police that online classes had started at her school. Many of her classmates have a smartphone so she too wanted a mobile phone. He being a professional tailor, was not financially strong. He had promised to get her a phone soon. She insisted to have it now and consumed the pesticide he had brought to spray on the crops.

A seriously ill Harshita was immediately rushed to the Kabbahalli Primary Healthcare Centre in Gundlupet taluk. Later she was taken to the district hospital for further treatment but died on the way.

The headteacher of Sagade Government High School, Gajendra stated that presently the school is not conducting any online classes. Under the Vidyagama program, teachers are going to villages gathering children and teaching them.