VILLUPURAM: A class IX student of a government school at Anniyur village near Gingee was found hanging in her hostel room on Monday. She was apparently driven to take the step after being beaten.
According to the police, A Vinitha (14), one of three children of Allimuthu and Rajakumari of Arulavadi village, stayed MBC hostel in the nearby Government girls higher secondary schools in Anniyur.
According to sources in the hostel, Vinitha, who had gone home last weekend, had skipped classes on Monday
because of stomach ache, and had reached the hostel on Tuesday. She missed classes again because of the stomach ache, and when this continued on Wedneday, hostel warden R Vijayalakshmi helped her to get treated at a local private hospital.
According to S Naveen Kumar (11), the girl’s cousin who goes to the same school as Vinoth Kumar, her younger brother, when they met her on Thursday evening, Vinitha who was in tears, recounted how the Tamil teacher had berated her for missing classes for three days. The teacher reportedly hit her in the stomach when she said she had stomach ache.
The girl was nervous about going back to school, and was reportedly too scared to go back home as her parents would have been displeased. Naveen Kumar added that the next they heard that Vinitha had taken her own life.
According to sources, Vinitha’s body was found by her room mate Monisha (14), who had returned to the room during the morning interval, at around 11.30 am. The hostel staff called the school administration, who informed the Gingee police.
A team including forensic officials reached the spot and collected evidence. The body was taken to government Mundiyambakkam hospital for autopsy, and a case was registered at the Kanjanur station.
When contacted, the school staff and Villupuram CEO S Mars stated that it was not confirmed that the teacher had assaulted the girl, and added that probe was on.
The girl’s father meanwhile expressed anger that the school and hostel staff had failed to inform them of the girl’s death. Till Monday evening, the family hadn’t been contacted by them, and they came to know of the girl’s death from a villager.
The father has lodged a complaint of suspicion on the school administration, and accusing the hostel of apathy.
The family had reportedly talked to the girl on Thursday evening, when she had informed them of the harassment from the teacher. They were planning to visit her, but were held back by other commitments.
Meanwhile, the poor conditions of the MBC hostel have come into light.
According to Vetrivel (28), a teacher training graduate and a native of nearby Perungalampoondi village, the girl’s death inside the hostel showed that the staff did not keep a tab on the inmates. He himself had seen the girls being sent to shops to buy eggs or grocery. The warden and the watchman were frequently absent. The department did not pay enough attention to how the hostel was run, he said.
When contacted, the MBC department refuted the charges saying periodic surprise visits were made to the hostel. No irregularities were found during such visits, they added.