Maharashtra: Ashram school headmaster booked for abetting suicide of girl student

PALGHAR : More than a month after a 14-year-old girl student of an ashram school in Palghar district of Maharashtra allegedly ended her life, police have registered a case against the headmaster of the institution on the charge of abetting her suicide, an official said on Thursday. The case was registered against the headmaster of the ashram school located at Parli in Wada taluka of the district, he said. The girl had ended her life after consuming poison at her house in Wadavali on October 20, the police said.

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"The victim, who was from Gargaon village, had borrowed the mobile phone of one of her classmates and was speaking on it. When the accused found her doing so, he scolded her. He also misbehaved with the victim and got an apology letter written from her. Later, he also informed the villagers about the episode," sub-inspector H A Sargar of Wada police station said. "Disturbed and depressed over the headmaster's act, the girl consumed poison at her house and died," he added.

The police have registered an offence under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 305 (abetment of suicide) based on the complaint lodged by the family members of the girl, he said. Ashram schools are residential schools which impart education up to the secondary level to children belonging to Scheduled Tribe (ST) community.