Delhi Class 10 Student Dies By Suicide; Note Alleging Teacher Harassment Sparks Major Probe

A 16-year-old Class 10 student from a prominent school in central Delhi died by suicide on Tuesday afternoon after jumping from an elevated metro station in West Delhi. A handwritten note recovered from his bag accused several teachers and the headmistress of continuous harassment. Police have registered a case against the school staff under Sections 107 (abetment to suicide) and 3(5) (common intention of criminal act) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Three teachers and the headmistress were suspended on Thursday.

The Delhi government's Directorate of Education has formed a five-member committee headed by joint director Harshit Jain to investigate the incident. The panel will submit its report within three days.

According to the boy's friends and family members, he had been facing "targeted harassment" for months and the school ignored repeated warning signs. Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage from both the school and the metro station. A senior police officer told HT that statements of several students have already been recorded and more will be taken.

The boy had also confided in the school counsellor about his troubling thoughts, according to what his friends told the family. The student's uncle alleged that the counsellor dismissed these concerns. The family said the teenager never expressed these thoughts directly at home.

A classmate confirmed the contents of the one-and-a-half-page note found in his bag, saying the student was "being bullied by the teachers" and that they were planning to file a complaint with the headmistress in the next few days. The boy's father said his son had again mentioned on Monday that he was being troubled, and he had assured him that they would shift him to another school after his Class 10 board exams. He also alleged that the boy had been repeatedly threatened with expulsion.

Other students said the school often called parents for minor issues. One student claimed that teachers even summon parents for something as small as spilling water in class and alleged that teachers openly use abusive language. The victim's father said he too had been called to the school three months ago over a minor matter. He told the staff not to pressure his son over marks and that the family was satisfied with his academic performance.

CCTV footage from the metro station shows the boy placing his bag down and walking for about two-and-a-half minutes. According to his uncle, he also helped guide a woman on the platform before approaching a guard. He jumped when the guard "briefly looked away."

If you or someone you know needs support, please reach out to a mental health professional or contact a helpline: Aasra: 022 2754 6669; Sneha India Foundation: +914424640050; Sanjivini: 011-24311918; Roshni Foundation (Secunderabad): 040-66202001, 040-66202000; ONE LIFE: 78930 78930; SEVA: 09441778290.