St Columba’s suicide probe: Delhi Police summon 3 teachers named in boy's last note

Delhi school student suicide probe

Delhi Police have summoned three teachers named in the suicide note of a Class X student, Shourya, from St Columba’s School, who ended his life at Rajendra Nagar Metro Station in Central Delhi, The Times of India reported.

The summons were issued to question them regarding the allegations of mental harassment that allegedly drove the student to take his own life.

A senior police officer was quoted by TOI as saying that the summons were to ensure the teachers join the investigation; two are expected for questioning on Monday. Two other teachers from the same school, who were not named in the note, were examined on Sunday.

"We asked them about the behavior of the four teachers mentioned in the note and whether they were aware of the harassment faced by the student," he added.

Shourya's father, Pradeep Patil, told the newspaper that he plans to join a protest at St Columba's School on Monday to demand justice for his son. Earlier, police interacted with four to five students of the school.

"The deceased's father, in his complaint, said that his son's friends informed him about the harassment. We spoke to them to understand the incident and the nature of the alleged harassment," the officer added.

The incident was reported on November 18. According to the boy’s father, one of the teachers had been threatening his son, saying she would call his parents and issue a transfer certificate.

The complaint further stated that the same teacher had pushed the student. Later, during a class on the day of the incident, when the boy slipped and fell, she allegedly mocked him for “overacting.” Classmates told the father that when the student began to cry, the teacher said she did not care.

The father also alleged that the school principal, who was present at the time, chose not to intervene.

An FIR has been registered under sections related to abetment to suicide and common intention of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and four teachers have been suspended.