Kerala student suicide: Education Minister orders probe

KOCHI: Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty on Friday directed the Director of General Education (DGE) to carry out a comprehensive inquiry into the alleged suicide of a 14-year-old boy on January 15, which his family claims was due to ragging at his school near Kochi. The Director of General Education has been instructed to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and recommend further action, Sivankutty said in a Facebook post.

"If any activities harmful to society are taking place in any school, regardless of the stream, they will be identified, stopped, and strict action will be taken against the institution. If necessary, an amendment to the law will be considered," he wrote. Referring to the case, he said, "A mother has alleged that her son committed suicide after being brutally tortured at a CBSE school in Thiruvaniyoor, Ernakulam district. This incident is deeply saddening and shocking. The police will take immediate action." Every school in the state operates with a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the government and all students, regardless of the stream they study, are children of Kerala, he added.

The deceased, a ninth class student, took the extreme step by jumping from his flat at Tripunithura here. Subsequently, his mother lodged a complaint with the Chief Minister and the State Police Chief, alleging that ragging at the school led her son to take his own life. According to her petition, as per the information received from the victim’s friends and through social media messages, he was allegedly subjected to ragging and physical assault. The petition was forwarded to Hill Palace police which commenced an initial inquiry.

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A case of unnatural death has been registered and an inquiry is underway. The police are examining the allegations in the petition, a police officer said. Meanwhile, the Ernakulam District Child Welfare Committee also demanded a probe into the incident. Though the school authorities have denied any incident of ragging, a scientific probe should be carried out, and the truth should be brought to light, Child Welfare Committee vice president K S Arun Kumar said. The committee will ensure justice for the deceased's family, he added.