Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty instructed the Director of General Education (DGE) to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the alleged suicide of a 15-year-old boy, which his family claims was caused by ragging at his school near Kochi. The boy, a ninth-class student, died by suicide on January 15 after jumping from his flat in Tripunithura.
The minister announced the decision in a Facebook post, stating that the DGE must submit a detailed report and recommend further action. “If any activities harmful to society are taking place in any school, regardless of the stream, they will be identified, stopped, and strict action will be taken against the institution. If necessary, an amendment to the law will be considered,” Sivankutty wrote.
Referring to the case, he added, “A mother has alleged that her son committed suicide after being brutally tortured at a CBSE school in Thiruvaniyoor, Ernakulam district. This incident is deeply saddening and shocking. The police will take immediate action.”
Following the teenager’s death, his mother filed a complaint with the Chief Minister and the State Police Chief, alleging that ragging and physical assault at the school drove her son to take his own life. According to her petition, messages from his friends and social media conversations suggested that he had been subjected to ragging.
The complaint was forwarded to the Hill Palace police, who have begun an initial inquiry. A police officer confirmed that a case of unnatural death has been registered and that the allegations are being examined.
Meanwhile, the Ernakulam District Child Welfare Committee has also called for a probe into the incident. Committee vice president K S Arun Kumar said that while the school authorities have denied any ragging, a thorough and scientific investigation is necessary to uncover the truth. “The committee will ensure justice for the deceased’s family,” he added.
With inputs from PTI