As the probe into the death of 15-year-old Mihir Ahammed progresses in Kochi, his biological father, Shafeeq Madampat, has come forward to demand that the police investigate all possible angles, and not restrict the inquiry to the allegations of bullying and harassment at his schools. A relative of Shafeeq told TNM that he was forced to share his concerns as Mihir’s reputation was being tarnished.
Mihir, a Class 9 student of Global Public School (GPS) in Kochi’s Thiruvaniyoor, allegedly died by suicide at his apartment in Thripunithura on January 15. He was staying there with his mother Rajna PM, stepfather Salim, and his stepsister. A First Information Report (FIR) for unnatural death was registered at the Hill Palace Police Station the same day.
There was much public outrage on the issue after Rajna alleged that Mihir was harassed by the Vice Principal at his previous school, GEMS Modern Academy in Kakkanad, and subjected to severe bullying at GPS by fellow students. “Those responsible for this barbaric act must face the full force of the law, and systemic changes must be made to ensure no other child suffers like Mihir did,” she said.
Meanwhile, Shafeeq has now raised questions about the timeline of events. He said that three days after the incident, he visited the police station asking for a detailed investigation. It was after this that Rajna wrote a letter to Binu Azeez, the now-suspended Vice Principal of GEMS, where Mihir had studied for six years until October 2024.
On January 21, Shafeeq wrote to the police, asking them to look into what happened immediately before his son’s death. On January 31, Rajna posted screenshots of an Instagram chat, purportedly between two students, on the alleged bullying at GPS.
In a press release issued on February 6, Shafeeq said, “I think it is pertinent that I clarify certain things, given the PR stunt that has been playing out over the past week.”
Shafeeq lives in Qatar with his second wife and family. A native of Malappuram, he married Rajna in April 2008. The couple divorced in November 2010, and later married their current spouses. Mihir had lived with his mother after the divorce. Shafeeq said he maintained regular contact with Mihir through phone calls and texts.
What happened before and after the tragedy?
Shafeeq said that the details he had heard from Rajna and her family regarding the circumstances of Mihir’s death were contradictory.
On January 14, there was an altercation between two students at GPS, to which Mihir and another student were witnesses. The next day, the parents of all four students were summoned to the school. Mihir’s stepfather Salim had arrived on his behalf. Salim reportedly told the police that he returned to work after the meeting, while Mihir was dropped home by the school bus between 2.50 pm and 3.00 pm.
Salim called Mihir once he reached home to discuss the incident at school, but the teen allegedly cut the call. Salim then made several attempts to reach Mihir again, even calling the domestic worker to help him get in touch. Mihir allegedly took his life around 3.30 pm.
Shafeeq demanded to know what was said during the phone call between Salim and Mihir, and why Salim had made repeated attempts to call him back after Mihir cut the call.
When Shafeeq wrote to the Hill Palace Station House Officer (SHO) on January 21, his primary request was that the inquiry look into what happened in the half hour after Mihir returned home from school on his final day.
In the letter Rajna wrote to GEMS Vice Principal Binu Azeez days after Mihir’s death, Rajna accused Binu of harassing Mihir, excessively punishing him for misconduct, and isolating him from his peers. The punishment was for slapping a girl student in his class, after which Mihir’s family moved him to GPS.
Shafeeq alleged that he had been kept in the dark about the school transfer. “Rajna discusses everything with me, even matters as minor as buying Mihir a phone. Why, then, was such an important decision kept from me?”
He added that he only learned about the transfer when Mihir accidentally mentioned it during a phone call.
What proof of bullying?
On January 31, Rajna posted a damning note on Facebook, revealing alleged bullying at GPS. Screenshots she shared from an Instagram group chat, purportedly involving Mihir’s friends and classmates from both GEMS and GPS, said the teen had been subjected to gruesome bullying at GPS. One of the allegations was that Mihir’s head was dunked in a toilet while bullies flushed it. Rajna’s brother, Shareef, had earlier told TNM that they received the screenshots from well-intentioned friends of Mihir’s.
However, Shafeeq questioned this version of events. “Why has not one person come forward to corroborate the allegations? Only his stepfather Salim’s elder son has come forward with such a claim. Why did he wait so long to say this? Why did Mihir conceal it even from his favourite cousin, with whom he shared everything?” he asked in a statement on February 6.
TNM had met with GPS authorities on January 31. They told us that an internal investigation found no evidence of bullying.
In the online uproar that followed Rajna’s post, even Mihir’s closest friends had been publicly named, said Shafeeq. He added that it was important not to drag children into the issue without reason. Some even painted the deceased teen as a bully himself, and various other theories did the rounds on the internet.
Mihir’s complaints to Shafeeq
Along with his statement, Shafeeq shared six screenshots of emails and text messages exchanged between him and Mihir. In these messages, on more than one occasion, Mihir had asked to be taken to Qatar to live with his father, citing the stress he was under. He had also complained to his father about his mother’s treatment of him.
While stating that he did not want the issue to devolve into an ugly battle between a divorced couple, Shafeeq insisted that he simply wanted to ensure no stone was left unturned in the investigation. Shafeeq’s relative told TNM that one reason to release the screenshots was to show that Mihir did share his troubles with his father.
Both parents question GPS
A February 3 statement issued by GPS in response to the public attention surrounding the case did not speak kindly of Mihir. The school claimed that they had given the teen “a second chance” after issues “related to physical assault on a girl student” at GEMS. As for the altercation between students on January 14, the school’s statement contradicted its assurances to Shafeeq that Mihir had merely been a spectator. “Mihir and a few of his friends were involved in an incident in which one of the fellow students was hit,” the school said.
Both Rajna and Shafeeq condemned the school’s statement. “After the incident on January 14, his class teacher called me personally and informed me that Mihir was a spectator,” Rajna stated.
Shafeeq wrote, “Why did [GPS] issue a statement contradicting their own words and presenting my son as a problem child? The public should be told what Salim and the school authorities discussed on that day.”
‘Mihir gave no indication of bullying’
It is worth noting that it was on January 21, in the time between Rajna’s letter to Binu and her Facebook post alleging bullying at GPS, that Shafeeq wrote to the police. “It is difficult to believe that Mihir decided to die by suicide because he was reprimanded for an alleged altercation with other students at his school. Mihir was a happy, and mentally strong child,” read the letter.
“Mihir never told me he was facing problems at school. Even on the day before his death, he agreed to talk the next night, saying ‘tmrw night should be free,’ ‘promise’,” Shafeeq wrote in his complaint to the police.
“In my knowledge, Mihir’s laptop has not yet been confiscated by the police. His phone was bought only a few months ago. Hence, it is his laptop that is likely to contain crucial information. Has the phone in police custody been subjected to forensic analysis? Were deleted text messages found? Were his call records examined?” Shafeeq asked.
Notably, Rajna had raised a similar concern in her January 31 post. “I fear delays in gathering digital evidence may allow the culprits to erase their tracks,” she wrote, referring to the alleged group chat used by Mihir’s schoolmates, including his alleged bullies.
‘Only demand is a comprehensive probe’
Shafeeq’s statement also mentioned that, while the investigation had been satisfactory until a week ago, he is doubtful whether the alleged “PR stunt” carried out by Rajna and her family have derailed the probe.
“I want to tell the public that my son, like other kids his age, loved his life and his passions. He wanted to be a pilot. Even his user ID for a simulator game was ‘pilottobe’,” he said.
Shafeeq added that as a father who was not with him, both he and Mihir’s mother were “morally and emotionally culpable” for the great tragedy that struck his life. “The responsibilities of everyone outside comes only after that. A comprehensive probe that won’t be impacted by media campaigns and other influences is my demand. That is my only demand,” he said.
If you are aware of anyone facing mental health issues or feeling suicidal, please provide help. Here are some helpline numbers of suicide-prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.
Tamil Nadu
State health department's suicide helpline: 104
Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre - 044-24640050 (listed as the sole suicide prevention helpline in Tamil Nadu)
Andhra Pradesh
Life Suicide Prevention: 78930 78930
Roshni: 9166202000, 9127848584
Karnataka
Sahai (24-hour): 080 65000111, 080 65000222
Kerala
Maithri: 0484 2540530
Chaithram: 0484 2361161
Both are 24-hour helpline numbers.
Telangana
State government's suicide prevention (tollfree): 104
Roshni: 040 66202000, 6620200
SEVA: 09441778290, 040 27504682 (between 9 am and 7 pm
Aasara offers support to individuals and families during an emotional crisis, for those dealing with mental health issues and suicidal ideation, and to those undergoing trauma after the suicide of a loved one.
24x7 Helpline: 9820466726
Click here for working helplines across India.