Kerala student attempts suicide after ‘body search’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Thiruvananthapuram: A student of class XII attempted suicide after teachers at her school allegedly did a ‘body search’ suspecting that she had carried a mobile phone to class.
She has been admitted to the city medical college hospital where her condition is said to be improving.
The incident occurred at the St Mary’s School in the city. Somebody informed school authorities that a student was carrying a cell phone, against the school rules. The authorities checked the bags of the girls but failed to find anything. Not satisfied, the female teachers then searched the clothes of about 10 students in front of the other girls. But they found nothing. The student who attempted suicide told police that she was stripped before her friends. Dejected, she returned home and without speaking about the incident drank formalin, which is used in laboratories, said police sources.
School principal Rosalin admitted that the teachers had searched for the mobile in the students’ bags and clothes, but denied having stripped them during the search.
Police have registered two cases in connection with the incident. While a case has been registered against the girl for attempting suicide, two teachers of the school have been booked under the Juvenile Justice Act on the basis of her complaint, police said.
Taking congnizance of the incident, the state women’s commission chairperson Justice Sreedevi said an inquiry would be held to find the truth of the matter.