Govt school teacher suspended after Chittoor student ends life due to academic competition

Chittoor: After a Class X student studying in Bhramaharshi English-medium School in Palamaner died by suicide, the district educational officer (DEO) of Chittoor district suspended a teacher who is allegedly indirectly responsible for the death of the girl.

The teacher has been identified as Ramesh, a school assistant (Hindi), at the Zilla Parishad High School (ZPHS) in Gangavaram mandal. "Being a government school teacher, he is not supposed to indulge in activities of private school management," the notice said.

According to Naga Raju, the Palamaner police sub-inspector, a class X student of a private school was in competition with another student from the same school. Due to conflicts between the students, school assistant Ramesh had often spoke sarcastically about their parents. Ramesh had told the girl's parents to send her to another school for a few days and that she could appear for her exams in the same school. Two days after she went to a new school, the girl ended her life on Tuesday evening after she returned from school.

On Wednesday, the police found a suicide letter where she stated that she had no friends to share her problems with and she did not want to trouble her parents. She mentioned in the letter that there were problems with a fellow student due to competition in studies and she was mentally harassed by the school management.

The preliminary inquiry has established a prima facie case against Ramesh. The Palamaner police have also registered a case against him under sections 306 and 506 of the IPC. Also, disciplinary proceedings against Ramesh have been contemplated.

It was further ordered that during the period the suspension order remains in force, Ramesh was directed not to leave the headquarters without obtaining permission from the police and the DEO.