NEW DELHI: A major protest erupted on Thursday after a Class X student of St. Columba's School died by suicide after jumping from a metro station in the city. The boy left a suicide note in which he said he had been harassed for long by some teachers.
Two teachers and the headmistress were later suspended after an FIR was registered against them for suicide abetment.
The student jumped from the platform of Rajendra Nagar metro station onto the main road on Tuesday around 2.30 pm. Police immediately reached the spot and he was rushed to the hospital where he was declared dead.
“He was complaining that his teachers were scolding him for even small things. We told him that after Class X, we will change the school and he agreed,” said the boy's father, adding that he had been in the same school for the last eight years.
Earlier this week, one of the teachers told him that they will call his parents and issue a transfer certificate (TC).
“Imagine what will happen to a student who has his pre-board exams just 10 days later and is told he would get a TC. On Tuesday, he slipped in the school, following which his teacher scolded him, saying he had deliberately slipped. He had left for school that morning with my driver. But when the driver was waiting for him after school, my son did not come with him. I received a call around 2.45 pm that my son had fallen from the metro station,” he said.
In the suicide note, he mentioned the names of four teachers including the principal. He also expressed his desire to donate his organs. “He also apologised to his parents saying that he couldn't become what he wanted to be. He said his last wish was that no other child should face injustice like he did,” said his father. His sister stated that he was very talented in dance and theatre.
On Thursday, the parents and friends of the student staged a protest outside the school, demanding strict action against the teachers who tortured him.
A case was registered on Wednesday on the complaint of his father.
Ashok Agarwal, social jurist said, “This is a serious question. We need to look at the behavior of teachers, what led them to behave like this with the child. This invites immediate investigation and action by the Delhi government. The teachers should be suspended.”
Principal Br Robert Fernandes could not be contacted despite numerous calls.
Aprajita Gautam, president of the Delhi Parents Association, said, “This is very unfortunate. We need to look at this issue from the side of the parents also because this is very critical. A child seeks help in different ways and we need to understand his mind and his behavior. We usually tend to ignore things but we need to be more alert in case of teenagers especially at the time when they are juggling with a lot of things. Secondly, the school should set up an inquiry at the earliest.”
Other similar incidents over the past year include:
• Kochi, Kerala (January 2025): A 15-year-old boy died by suicide after allegedly facing severe bullying, including brutal ragging and humiliation based on his skin color, by his schoolmates. His family claimed the bullying escalated to the point where he was forced to lick a toilet seat. The incident prompted a state government inquiry and a call for stricter anti-bullying measures in schools.
• Palakkad, Kerala (June 2025): A 14-year-old girl died by suicide due to alleged mental harassment, including being segregated into a specific class based on her low academic marks, which her parents claimed caused her immense pressure.
• Karauli district, Rajasthan (November 2025): A 14-year-old Class 9 student ended his life, leaving a suicide note that accused two teachers and the school administrator of beating and mistreating him, and threatening to expel him or give him a transfer certificate.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050, Tele Manas - 14416 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)