Two students have been sent to an observation home for 15 days in connection with the death of a 16-year-old Class XI student who allegedly faced caste-based harassment at a government-aided school in Peelamedu, Coimbatore. The school’s headmaster and the student’s class teacher have also been suspended, according to the report by Times of India – Coimbatore.
The student, identified as Akilan, allegedly died by suicide after facing caste-based taunts and harassment from two classmates. His family has alleged that the harassment began after the class teacher asked students about their castes while collecting information for a scholarship. The complaint also alleged that the teacher asked students about their food choices, including whether they ate beef.
According to the complaint lodged by Akilan’s mother, the two classmates subsequently subjected him to caste-based taunts. The family has further alleged that Akilan raised the issue with class teacher Vijayakumar and headmaster Arun Kumar, but that the school authorities failed to take effective action.
The school management suspended Arun Kumar and Vijayakumar on Friday as pressure mounted for accountability. Akilan’s parents, relatives and members of progressive organisations held a protest outside the Coimbatore district collectorate, demanding action against the school staff members whom they allege were responsible for the harassment and the failure to respond to complaints.
Akilan’s father said the family would not receive the student’s body until those responsible for the alleged harassment were arrested. The demand has placed the focus on both the conduct alleged in the complaint and the school’s response after the student reportedly raised concerns.
A senior police officer said the investigation was being conducted transparently. The officer said arrests could not be made without sufficient evidence, but that appropriate action would follow if the investigation warranted it. The statement indicates that the police inquiry remains ongoing and that the allegations have not yet been established through the investigation.
The Child Welfare Committee has also initiated an inquiry into the incident. The parallel inquiry is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the student’s death, the allegations of caste-based discrimination and the response of the school authorities. The two students will remain at the observation home for 15 days as the investigation and child-welfare proceedings continue.
