Haryana: Police Arrests Private School’s Academic Head In Connection With 15-Year-Old Student’s Suicide In Faridabad

Mamata Gupta, Senior Academic Coordinator, Delhi Public school (DPS) Greater Faridabad denied allegations of harassment made by a 15-year-old boy in his suicide note and said the school administration conducted an investigation, but nothing incriminating was found.

Faridabad: Haryana Police on Sunday arrested the senior academic coordinator of a top private school in Faridabad in connection with the suicide of a class 10th student. The 15-year-old, who suffered from dyslexia (a learning disorder), ended his life by jumping off the 15th floor of his apartment in Haryana’s Greater Faridabad on Thursday night, leaving behind a heart-wrenching note wherein he has accused the school headmistress and other children of bullying him over his sexuality.

“Police arrested DPS greater Faridabad academic head Mamata in connection with the DPS student suicide case,” news agency ANI reported quoting Faridabad Police.

The Arrested Accused Denies Charges Of  Inaction By School Administration

Speaking to ANI on Saturday, Mamata Gupta, Senior Academic Coordinator, Delhi Public school (DPS) Greater Faridabad denied allegations of harassment made by a 15-year-old boy in his suicide note and said the school administration conducted an investigation, but nothing incriminating was found.

“She (mother of deceased) gave us a written document mentioning the names of students who used to trouble her son. We investigated the matter and have found nothing. The majority of students whose names were given by the mother are not there in school. We questioned two-three students, who were part of the school, and found nothing,” said Gupta.

The mother of the student who committed suicide works as a teacher in the same school.

Denying the allegation that school administration took no action despite repeated requests, the Academic Coordinator said, “She had sent only one mail. After which an enquiry was conducted.”

Deceased’s Mother Accuses School Administration Of Inaction

Aarti Malhotra, mother of the deceased boy on Saturday told news agency ANI that she had raised the issue of harassment and bullying of her son by some students with school administration, but nothing was done about it.

“I reported everything to concerned teachers, gave names of students (who harassed the deceased) to Principal. Authorities assured us of action but nothing was done and school started blaming my son for taking undue advantage of his disorder,” said Malhotra.

She added that on complaining, teachers in school harassed her as well. “I was threatened blatantly by the school that they will not be keeping my son in the school from next year onwards,” said Malhotra.

Calling for justice for her son, the bereaved mother called for school authorities to take responsibility for the incident. “My son should get justice. Senior authorities and Delhi Public School (DPS) society should take the responsibility that they are admitting students without their background check just for the sake of earning money,” she said.

Action Taken In The Matter So Far

The Haryana Police has lodged an FIR in the matter and the probe is underway. Police has arrested the senior academic coordinator of the school over allegations of inaction

Speaking to reporters on Friday, SHO Arjun Dhundhara of the BPTP police station, where the FIR was lodged said that the boy had been undergoing professional counseling in Delhi for it.

Based on the mother’s complaint, police have registered a case of abetment of suicide against the headmistress and school management. “In her complaint, the boy’s mother, who used to teach in the same school alleged that her son had told her nearly a year ago that other students used to call him homosexual”, the SHO said.

Police have also recovered a suicide note where the boy has sought forgiveness from his mother saying, “You did everything possible but I didn’t come out stronger”. The incident has left the family distraught and raised serious questions about one of the top private schools in Faridabad.