In a tragic incident, a class IX student of a government school at Anniyur village in Villupuram was found hanging in her hostel room on Monday. She was allegedly driven to take the step after being beaten up by a teacher for not attending classes for three days.
According to the police who had spoken to The New Indian Express, A Vinitha, one of three children of Allimuthu and Rajakumari of Arulavadi village, stayed at the MBC hostel in the nearby Government girls higher secondary schools in Anniyur.
According to sources in the hostel, Vinitha, who had gone home last weekend, had skipped classes on Monday because of a stomach ache, and had reached the hostel on Tuesday. She missed classes again because of her health, and when this continued on Wednseday, hostel warden R Vijayalakshmi helped her get treated at a local private hospital.
According to S Naveen Kumar (11), the girl’s cousin, Vinitha who was in tears on Thursdayevening and recounted how the Tamil teacher had berated her for missing classes for three days. The teacher reportedly hit her in the stomach when she said she had stomach ache.
The girl was nervous about going back to school, and was reportedly too scared to go back home as her parents would have been displeased. Naveen Kumar added that the next they heard that Vinitha had taken her own life.
According to sources, Vinitha’s body was found by her room mate Monisha (14), who had returned to the room during the morning interval, at around 11.30 am. The hostel staff called the school administration, who informed the Gingee police.
When contacted, the school staff and Villupuram CEO S Mars stated that it was not confirmed that the teacher had assaulted the girl, and added that probe was on.
The girl’s father meanwhile expressed anger that the school and hostel staff had failed to inform them of the girl’s death. The father has lodged a complaint of suspicion on the school administration, and accusing the hostel of apathy.
The family had reportedly talked to the girl on Thursday evening, when she had informed them of the harassment from the teacher. They were planning to visit her, but were held back by other commitments.