
KOCHI: General Education Minister V Sivankutty on Friday ordered the director of public education to conduct a thorough investigation into a mother’s complaint that her son committed suicide after he was bullied and ragged by a group of students of the Global Public School in Ernakulam.
“I noticed the mother’s complaint. The incident is shocking. Police will take immediate legal action in this regard. The director of public education has been directed to conduct a thorough inquiry into the incident and suggest action,” the minister said in an official statement.
“Every school in the state obtains a no-objection certificate from the state government to function. The state will also take action to prevent any antisocial activities at schools and find out the culprits in such cases. If necessary, we will consider amending the laws to prevent such incidents,” he added.
Meanwhile, K S Arunkumar, vice chairman of Ernakulam child welfare committee, said the matters raised in the mother’s complaint are serious.
“Although the school authorities are denying it, an investigation should be conducted to bring out the truth. Action will be taken to ensure justice for the family,” said.
In an official statement, GPS International School, which runs Global Public School, said the school could not take action against any student based on presumptions.
“Parents, teachers, and students who were mentioned in these posts were called in to provide clarity and assess involvement. They denied any involvement. The school cannot act on the basis of presumptions and social media posts unless we receive evidence of any specific incident or act,” the statement said.
It added that the school has provided police officers with social media posts and offered access to CCTV visuals.
(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 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)