Student beaten up; commits suicide

3 March 2012

biswabrata goswami
TAMLUK, 3 MARCH: A Class-VIII student of Kajlagarh High School in Bhagwanpur-I block in East Midnapore committed suicide after being beaten up by teachers in the presence of other students for his alleged misbehaviour with a fellow  girl student.
Susanta Manna was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his house at Garbar in Bhupatinagar last night. His suicide note said school headmaster Swadesh Ranjan Pramanik and other teachers beat him up for and humiliated him before the entire class room. Hundreds of residents, including the victim’s family members, today marched to the school and ransacked the teachers’ staff room. Later, police reached and brought the situation under control.
Mr Sheikh Harun Rasid, sabhapati of Bhagwanpur-I panchayat samity, said: “The boy committed suicide after being tortured  and humiliated by his teachers. This is raising several questions about the teachers and how strictly they follow RTE rules. Police have initiated a probe and necessary action will be taken if any one is found guilty”.
Mr Ashok Prasad, superintendent of police said: “Police are recording the statements. No one has been arrested so far”. A senior police officer who is probing into the matter, however, said, “We want to know what verbal abuse or insult caused a child to be so determined to end his life. We will discuss the matter with the management and other teachers.”
An inspector of schools said: “If the school management fails to hold periodic parent-teachers’ meetings, it will be held responsible for any untoward happening at the school”.
Mr Prasanta Manna, Susanta's relative, said his behaviour was not normal when he had returned from school the day before. His sister, who studies in Class-V in the same school, said she had pleaded with the teachers in vain not to beat her elder brother.