Nearly four days after the death by suicide of a 17-year-old girl in Coimbatore, the Chief Educational Officer (CEO) for Coimbatore district N. Geetha, on Tuesday, completed an inquiry into the allegations that the girl was sexually assaulted by a teacher on the premises of a private school.
Sources privy to the inquiry told The Hindu that a detailed report would be submitted to the Department of School Education by Wednesday for further action.
The inquiry team was led by Ms. Geetha and comprised three headmasters from government schools and school education officials. The team visited the private school in the city and posed questions pertaining to the activities of the accused teacher to the faculty members, and students.
The accused had joined the school in 2019, the sources said.
The deceased girl, who had been studying in the school from Class VI, was known to have been a bright student and had been studying through a scholarship due to her family’s economic situation, according to the sources.
In September, she shifted to a Corporation higher secondary school in the city, where she continued studying in Class XII, until she ended her life on November 11.
Abetting suicide
The Coimbatore City Police arrested the teacher on November 12 on charges of abetment of suicide and aggravated sexual assault, and principal of the private school on November 14 for her alleged failure to report the assault to the police. Further investigations are on.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.)
