Suicide of four girls: Headmistress, teacher suspended

Chennai: A day after four class 11 students of Panapakkam government girls’ higher secondary school in Vellore district committed suicide by jumping into a farm well after their teacher allegedly chided them, the district administration has placed the headmistress of the school and a teacher under suspension.

“The headmistress, Rama Mani and the teacher, Vanitha have been placed under suspension. Further enquiry is underway,” said Marx, Chief Educational Officer (CEO), Vellore district.

Bodies of the four girls — Deepa (16), Shankari (16), Manisha (16) and Revathi(16)  were fished out from a farm well in Ramapuram near Arakkonam on Friday.

The bodies were handed over to the families after an autopsy on Saturday. Vellore Collector S. A. Raman, Superintendent of Police P. Pakalavan and other senior officers attended the funeral of the girls’ at their village on Saturday.
Speaking to mediapersons, the collector said that he would recommend for compensation from the Chief Minister’s fund as the deceased girls were from Below Poverty Line (BPL) families.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the girls took the suicide pact after the teachers chided them for indiscipline and asked them to bring their parents. “The four children along with 11 others were scolded by teachers for indiscipline during class hours. It was not about their academic performance,” a senior police officer said. Meanwhile, a special team headed by the Additional Deputy

Superintendent of Police has been formed to probe into the issue, police said. District Collector Raman also said that the administration would be undertaking a special drive to counsel school children in the district following the incident.