17-year-old kills self in Coimbatore, parents allege sexual harassment by teacher
Haunted by the trauma of sexual abuse by her school teacher, a Class 12 student committed suicide in Coimbatore on Friday.
The incident came to light through her friend, who came to her house after her calls went unanswered. The family broke open the doors and found her hanging from the ceiling. She was rushed to Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital, but the doctors declared her dead on arrival.
Based on her suicide note, the Coimbatore city police took the accused teacher Mithun Chakravarthy into custody. He was booked under IPC Section 306 and Section 9 (I) read with 10 of the Pocso Act.
Inquiries revealed that Chakravarthy, teaching Physics for classes 11 and 12, abused the girl after asking her to come to school for special classes. “My daughter did not inform us of her travails. But her complaint to the school management was in vain. We came to know this only now through her friend,” the girl’s parents’ said. The girl had even obtained a transfer certificate and got admitted in a Corporation Higher Secondary School. Chakravarthy had resigned in September.
Following this incident, several protests were held.