Four staff members, including the headmistress of St Columba's School, have been suspended after a class 10 student allegedly took his own life, accusing them of mental harassment. An FIR has been registered against them.
A senior Delhi Education Department official said a committee has been formed to probe the allegations and review the school’s handling of the case. It has been asked to submit its report within three days.
According to the suspension order, the headmistress (Classes 4-10), the coordinator for Classes 9 and 10, and two teachers have been placed under temporary suspension while the investigation proceeds.
The student’s father told PTI that the suspension was "only temporary" and demanded the arrest of the teachers named in the FIR. He said, "We need to send a message that no teacher should treat our children like that."
The Education Department said, "In pursuance of the imperative to comprehensively ascertain the factual matrix, causative circumstances and administrative accountability associated with the unfortunate incident that occurred on November 18, it has constituted a High-Level Inquiry Committee comprising senior officers."
The committee will undertake a "thorough, objective and time-bound inquiry" and submit a report with findings, observations and recommendations within three days.
The suspension order sent to the four staff members stated, "In view of the seriousness of the allegations, the competent authority has decided to place you under suspension with immediate effect."
It bars them from visiting the school, contacting students, staff or parents, and requires them to remain available for official communication. They will remain suspended until the investigation is complete.
The class 10 student, who had reportedly dreamt of becoming "the next Shah Rukh Khan", died on after allegedly jumping from the Rajendra Place Metro Station at 2.34 pm. He was taken to BLK Super Speciality Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
A senior police officer said the boy left a suicide note naming a few teachers, alleging mental harassment, apologising to his family, and requesting that his organs be donated.
The FIR, registered at Rajendra Nagar police station, includes charges of abetment of suicide. Police are recording statements of classmates, teachers and school authorities as part of the investigation.