VISAKHAPATNAM: Dejected over denial of admission into Tribal Welfare Ashram High School at Killoguda, a 11-year-old tribal student committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling of his residence in Diguavakolaputtu village of Dumbriguda mandal in Visakhapatnam district late Sunday night. His body was found by his family members Monday.
Korra Balakrishna, a resident of Diguvakolaputtu village, sought admission into Class VI at the Tribal Welfare Ashram High School at Killoguda in Dumbriguda mandal recently. However, the school headmaster insisted that the youngster should submit his Aadhaar card number for obtaining scholarship and continue his education as per the conditional norms by the government.
But the young lad, who was born with webbed fingers, was denied enrolment at the Aadhaar centre as he could not give his biometric finger prints. On Saturday, the school authorities are learnt to have informed all the students to submit the Aadhaar card numbers or risk losing their scholarships. Unable to obtain an Aadhaar card and fearing that he cannot study further, Balakrishna took the tragic step at his residence Sunday night.
Reacting swiftly, district education officer M Venkata Krishna Reddy ordered mandal education officer V Trinadha Rao to probe the incident. Preliminary reports submitted by the MEO suggested that Balakrishna’s parents took him home Saturday as he was suffering from severe stomach pain. “He was also depressed for unknown reasons. We suspect that the stomach pain could also have led to his suicide,” the MEO reported.
Taking serious note of the incident, the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) directed the district collector, ITDA project director and the superintendent of police to hold an inquiry into the incident and submit a report to the Commission before August 30. The Commission ordered immediate proceedings under Child Rights Protection Laws, Right to Education Act, and Persons With Disabilities Act.
Meanwhile, HRD minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao directed Tribal Welfare deputy director T Mallikarjun Reddy to look into the issue and submit a report to the government at the earliest. He wanted the officials to take stringent action against the persons responsible for the incident.
What Allegedly Led Balakrishna to Take His Life:
Probe Ordered:
Both the state government and the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights have ordered for investigation into the incident and wanted the district authorities to submit a report before August 30.