Delhi student suicide: Headmistress, 3 teachers suspended after class 10 boy leaves note of harassment; Govt orders probe

Two days after a Class 11 student from St Columba’s School in Delhi died by suicide by jumping from an elevated Metro station, the school has suspended the headmaster and three teachers named in the FIR filed by the boy’s father. The student, 16-year-old Shoorya Patil, died on Tuesday. He left a note in which he blamed some of his teachers for his distress. In his note, Shoorya wrote: “Sorry Mummy, I know I have hurt you many times, and this is the last time. The school teachers are like this… what can I even say?”

On Wednesday, Shoorya’s father, Pradeep Patil, filed an FIR. He named the headmaster for Classes 5 to 10, Aparajita Pal, and three teachers – Julie Varghese, Manu Kalra, and Yukti Aggarwal Mahajan = accusing them of mentally harassing his son.

The school principal, Robert Fernandes, issued letters saying that all four staff members were being suspended until further notice. He told them they must cooperate with the investigation and that they are not allowed to enter the school or speak to students, staff or parents without permission.

The principal wrote: “This is to inform you that the school has learned about an FIR filed against you… Because the allegations are serious, the competent authority has decided to suspend you with immediate effect.”

He added that the suspension will continue until the investigation ends and further orders are given. During this period, the staff members must stay available for any inquiry and must not visit the school or interact with anyone connected to it unless they get written approval.

Shoorya (Shourya) had jumped from the Rajendra Place Metro Station on Tuesday afternoon. In the FIR, his father, Pradeep, alleged that the headmaster and three teachers had been scolding him over minor issues and mentally harassing him.

Pradeep said Shourya’s friends told him that Julie Varghese had allegedly been threatening the boy for four days, warning that he would be expelled and issued a transfer certificate.

According to the FIR, Pradeep Patil also claimed that teacher Manu Kalra had, at one point, pushed the teenager.

He further alleged that during a dramatics class on Tuesday, the day Shourya died by suicide, the boy fell, and teacher Yukti Mahajan insulted and mocked him, saying he was “overacting.” She allegedly scolded him to the point that he began crying, and told him he could cry as much as he wanted, as it “did not matter” to her. Pradeep said headmaster Aparajita Pal was present but did not intervene.

He alleged that the four staff members had harassed Shourya to such an extent that he died by suicide.

On Thursday, the Delhi government ordered a high-level inquiry into the death. The Directorate of Education constituted a five-member committee, stating it was “imperative” to determine the facts, circumstances and any administrative accountability involved.

The panel, chaired by Joint Director Harshit Jain, has been asked to conduct a thorough, objective investigation and submit a comprehensive report within three days.