Chided for flunking tests, teen commits suicide

CHENNAI: A 14-year-old girl was on Saturday found hanging from the ceiling in her home here, with her family blaming a teacher for scolding her and pushing her to take the extreme step.

"My 14-year-old sister Punitha had flunked the first semester Tamil tests and was punished by her teacher Devam three days ago. When we noticed she was not willing to return to school today (on Saturday) after the Dussehra holidays, we asked her the reason. Instead of replying, she went back to her room. Soon we discovered her hanging from the ceiling," N. Chandra said.

The victim's classmates said Devam had detained many students who flunked the tests till 7 p.m. on Tuesday and scolded them.

"Devam forced several of our friends to stay back till 7 p.m. and demanded the presence of their parents on Saturday or face further punishment. Some of us were subjected to abuse," said K. Lavanya, a classmate of the victim.

The mother of a friend of the victim who did not want to be identified said: "The cruel schoolteacher must be arrested because her words led to the girl's suicide. Is failing an ordinary class test such a sin that corporal punishment should be meted out to students?"

While no arrests were made till Saturday evening, a case of unnatural death was registered and the body was sent for autopsy, police officials said.