‘Ridiculed for eating beef’ at school, 16-year-old Tamil Nadu boy dies by suicide
A 16-year-old student in Tamil Nadu died by suicide following alleged harassment by classmates and teachers regarding his caste and dietary habits. The family has filed a complaint against school officials, sparking protests and a police investigation into the incident.
Why it matters
This incident highlights the persistent issue of caste-based discrimination and bullying within the Indian educational system, raising concerns about student safety and institutional accountability.
COIMBATORE: A Class XI Scheduled Caste student of a govt-aided school died by suicide at his residence at Peelamedu in the city on Wednesday allegedly following harassment by his two classmates and a teacher over eating beef.The Peelamedu police have registered a case against class teacher Vijayakumar, headmaster Arun Kumar, and two students of Shri K K Naidu Higher Secondary School on Avinashi Road near Peelamedu in Coimbatore on charges of abetment of suicide and other offences.Police identified the deceased student as A Akilan, 16, son of Ashok Kumar and Kousalya Devi. Kumar works as a laundry manager at a resort in Munnar; Kousalya is a domestic help.Returning home from work around 1pm on Wednesday, Kousalya found her son hanging from the bedroom ceiling.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in