School Principal Arrested In Andhra Pradesh Student Suicide Case: 10 Things To Know

A bright young student, who was also a class topper, from Andhra Pradesh, recently died by suicide earlier this week, leading to action against the principal of her school. The student hailed from the small town of Palamaner in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh. She was supposed to sit for her board examinations next month.

The student's family members have alleged that she was ill-treated by the principal of the school named Ramesh. He also works as the school assistant at the ZP High School at Gangavaram. On March 25, Ramesh was arrested by the Palamaner Police and charged under Sections 306 (abetment of suicide), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The day before his arrest, he was also suspended from the school.

Suggested Reading: Payal Tadvi, Fathima, AIIMS Doc Suicides: When will they get Justice?

Topper suicide case: Ten things to know

- The deceased was a class ten student and the daughter of a soda seller.

- She used to study at the Brahmarshi High School, which is a private school in Gangavaram.

- She was the topper in her class but before the end of the academic year, the school principal had issued a Transfer Certificate (TC) against her name.

- In the four-page long letter left behind by the student, she mentioned that her classmate's father was allegedly forcing the school to get her removed so that his daughter could replace her as the class topper.

- She also asked her father, whom she called her inspiration in the letter, to forgive her for taking the step.

- It was also mentioned that she was unable to take this inhumane act by the school management and hence chose end her life.

- The student's sister also alleged that the local police were moving at a snail's pace with the complaint against the accused. The reason for this slow investigation, according to her, is that the accused represents the ruling YSR (Yuvajana Shramika Rythu) Congress Party.

- The student's sister also alleged that the police barged into their house at 2 AM one night and said that they wanted to investigate the crime scene and the deceased student's belongings. She also added that all family members were kept out of the room while the police allegedly took all the evidence away and she believed that this was a move to protect the accused.

- The incident and the case has blown out politically as the Telugu Desam Party leader and son of the former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Nara Lokesh blamed the student's death on the YSRCP leader. Lokesh also alleged that the deceased girl had scored more than the daughter of the YSRCP leader.

- The school principal Ramesh was arrested today.

Image Credit: NDTV