Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 23 (DHNS): A 15-year-old girl who jumped off the third floor of her school building in Kollam, following harassment by teachers, died at a private hospital here in the early hours of Monday.
Gauri, a class 10 student at the Trinity Lyceum School, had jumped off the building on Friday. The girl, who sustained serious head and spine injuries, was taken to a hospital in Kollam, before she was shifted to the hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, where her condition remained critical for two days.
Reports traced the harassment by the teachers to an earlier incident involving Gauri’s younger sister, a class 8 student at the same school. Gauri’s sister was rebuked by a teacher for speaking with other students during class and was made to sit with boys as part of “disciplinary action”. The issue is learnt to have been settled after talks between the girl’s family and the school management.
Later, Gauri entered into an altercation with the students who taunted her sister over the incident, which resulted in the teachers getting involved.
Gauri’s family said the teachers harassed her and threatened her with more action. Members of the family told media that they were provided patchy and inaccurate information regarding the incident.
The police have registered a case under Section 305 of the Indian Penal Code (abetment to suicide) against two teachers, identified as Sindhu and Crescent. The teachers have been absconding since Sunday.
It is also said that the hospital in Kollam did not provide adequate care despite the serious nature of the girl’s injuries. “There are charges about the hospital’s links with the school management, we are investigating them as well,” Nisamudheen, sub-inspector, Kollam west, told DH.
The school remained closed on Monday in the wake of protests called by student organisations. Students affiliated to different political outfits clashed with the police near the school. Police hurled grenades at the protesters. A few policemen and media personnel were injured in the clashes.