Class 12 student jumps to death after objection over taking selfies at school

KHARGONE: A Class 12 student jumped to death from Jam Gate, a historical site in Madhya Pradesh's Khargone, after the authorities of his school objected to his use of a mobile phone and attempts to click selfies on its premises, police said.

The 17-year-old tribal student, Raj Osari, who studied in a government higher secondary school at Gulwad in Mandleshwar area and stayed in a government-run hostel, ended his life before Thursday noon despite attempts by his relatives and a guard to dissuade him from taking the extreme step, a police official said.

"Raj jumped from the Jam Gate and was then found in a ditch. While he was trying to jump, his relatives and the security guard posted at the site asked him not to do so, but he did not listen to them and took the extreme step," Khargone district Superintendent of Police Dharamraj Meena said. He was rushed to a government hospital in Mandleshwar where doctors declared him dead, the official said, adding that he was a resident of Kakad Khodri village in Mandleshwar area.

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Police probe on student's death

The deceased's uncle Jitendra Osari told the police in a statement that hostel superintendent Prakash Girwal had called him to complain about Raj using mobile phones at the school, the police official said. "School principal K C Saand had also objected to Raj taking selfies at the school on Wednesday. But he threatened to commit suicide or run away from the school," he said, the principal then asked the hostel superintendent to call Raj's family members and sort out the matter.

But when his relatives, Krishna and his son Ganesh, came to meet him at the school, Raj ran away. They all went looking for him, but could not find him. Raj came to the school later and the hostel superintendent immediately informed his relatives. They again reached the hostel at 9.30 pm, but Raj escaped by scaling the boundary wall of the hostel, the official said. "He came to the school again late at night and ran away from the hostel after having breakfast on Thursday morning.

The principal asked the staff to catch him but they were unable to do so," he said. His mobile phone has also been recovered from the spot. On the basis of the investigation conducted so far, there is a possibility that he has taken this step due to fear of being scolded by his family members, the SP added. The police are probing the case thoroughly as there could be some other motive as well behind the incident, he said.

If you know someone – friend or family member – at risk of suicide, please reach out to them. Those in distress or having suicidal thoughts or tendencies could seek help and counselling by calling 9820466726 or visiting AASRA’s official website or can call iCALL on 9152987821. Here are some more helpline numbers of suicide prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.