Student death: Trinity school denies action against principal

KOLLAM: The Trinity Lyceum management has denied it has asked the school principal to go on compulsory leave, saying a response to the deputy director of education's(DDE) memo would be decided at the director board meeting. Earlier, media reports indicated that the management had asked principal S. John to go on compulsory leave following an order by the DDE to oust him as the explanation given for celebrating the comeback of teachers, accused of abetting the suicide of a student, by distributing cake and flowers was "not satisfactory".

The director board meeting will be held under the Kollam Bishop Stanley Roman to take action against the principal based on the DDE's order. The DDE has also warned if the management fails to abide by the order, the department will move further with proceedings to cancel the NOC of the school. The teachers Sindhu Paul and Crescence Navis from Kollam, who are accused in the death of Gauri Neha, were given a warm welcome by cutting a cake in the presence of the school principal earlier, which triggered the DDE's intervention. Gauri Neha's parents and the action council formed to seek justice for the girl has also demanded Police action against the principal.

Gauri Neha of Makkatt Kizhakkathil, Kannimelcheri in Sakthikulangara, a 10th Standard student, jumped off the second floor of the primary block of the school on October 20, 2017, and succumbed to her injuries in a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram three days later. The teachers who are accused for abetting the suicide were absconding for nearly a month before they surrendered at the Kollam district magistrate court. The court directed them to appear before the investigative officer on all Saturdays until the chargesheet was submitted in the case. The police has currently charged the accused under sections 511, 305, 34 of IPC including abetment to suicide and sections under the Juvenile Justice Act for torturing the girl.