HUBBALLI: A 14-year-old student died by suicide by hanging herself at her residence in Haveri district. The incident came to light a week after it took place. The deceased, Archana Goudannavar, was a student of Morarji Desai Government Residential School at Hirekerur taluk.
Archana committed suicide at her residence in Aladakatti village and the family performed her last rites without informing the police. Archana, in her death note, blamed her classmate Zoya and her mother of torturing her.
Zoya’s father, Arifulla, is a Hindi teacher in the same residential school.
After the incident took place, the school management called a meeting of Archana’s family, Arifulla and village heads where it was decided to pay compensation to the family of the victim. Some villagers agreed to hush up the matter. During the meeting, Archana’s family demanded Rs 10 lakh as compensation but later settled for Rs 1 lakh, sources said.
It is said that some villagers who did not get any share in the money spread the news about the incident. The police said that the family of the girl is not coming forward to lodge a complaint against the school, nor the mother, daughter duo who have been named by Archana in her death note. The police said that a suo motu case will be filed and inquiry will begin after exhuming Archana’s body.
A villager from Aladakatti said there was something amiss since Archana death. “Archana was a bright student. Some of the village youth managed to take photographs of the death note to use it as evidence against the parents of the girl and also the school authorities. The police must take action against the school management for hiding a student’s suicide,” demanded a villager.
On Thursday, police from Haveri visited Archana’s village and the school. The police have begun inquiry into the incident and are questioning villagers, the school management and Archana’s family.