A student of std. 10 committed suicide on Monday (July 10) after being slapped, humiliated, and expelled from St. Xavier's School for wearing a bindi. The incident happened in the Jharkhand city of Dhanbad's Teltulmari neighbourhood.
According to reports, the 17-year-old attended a convent school while sporting a bindi on her forehead. She was insulted by a teacher during the school assembly. She was slapped twice in front of whole assembly.
Even after the bindi was taken off by the girl as soon as she spotted the teacher, not withstanding that. After being taken to the principal's office, the minor was expelled from the institution.
An FIR was filed at Tetulmari Police Station based on a complaint from the victim's family, leading to the arrest of the accused teacher and the initiation of a probe.
According to DSP Nishra Murmu of Baghmara, "A suicide note left by a class 10 student of St. Xavier's School in Tetulmari holds the principal and a teacher responsible for her death."
Following the incident, on Tuesday (July 11), villagers and the family members of the deceased girl staged a protest, blocking a road and demonstrating outside St. Xavier's School.
The victim's mother stated, "As soon as my daughter saw the teacher, she removed her bindi.
However, the teacher slapped her twice in front of the assembly. I explained the situation to the principal, but he ignored it and expelled my daughter."
"She committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling in her room after feeling humiliated due to the public slapping incident," she added.
The victim's mother reiterated her demand for justice and urged the arrest of everyone mentioned in the suicide note. The accused teacher justified slapping the student, claiming that the 17-year-old had not responded politely.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), chaired by Priyank Kanoongo, has taken note of the incident.
Kanoongo stated, "In Dhanbad, Jharkhand, a girl student reportedly took her own life after being physically punished for wearing a bindi to school."
He further announced that the NCPCR team would investigate the matter on the ground in .
