The Thanjavur Police, investigating the suicide of a Class XII girl student of a Christian missionary school, are checking the veracity of a fresh video in which the girl is purportedly saying that she had resorted to the extreme step as she was unable to concentrate on her studies due to the daily chores that she was being asked to carry out at the hostel.
There is no mention of religious conversion by the girl in the fresh video which is being circulated in the social media. The latest video clip,running a few minutes, appears to have been shot while the girl was undergoing treatment in the hospital by an unidentified person.
The video starts with the girl being asked to disclose her name and that of her parents. She says that she used to be a topper in her class but due to family circumstances she joined late at her institution this year.
Due to this, the ‘Sister’ used to ask her to write the accounts even after the girl had said she could not understand anything. “Even if written correctly, the Sister would make me sit for an hour saying that what I had written is wrong,” the girl says.
As result she was unable to concentrate on her studies and had been scoring less marks. She decided to resort to the extreme step as she felt that she could not study if the situation continued.
To a question, the girl says that she was asked to do other choresby the warden including opening and locking the gates, switching on the motor and checking it. On whether the school had asked her not to sport a ‘bindi’, the girl replies in the negative.
The girl says that she would have been asked to stay back and study if asked for permission to go to her villagefor the Pongal festival. However, this time she was sent home due to her poor health.
When asked whether they (apparently referring to the school) knew that she had attempted to end her life, the girl replies in the negative. The girl identifies the name of the Sister as Sahayamary in the clip.
Police sources said the veracity of the fresh video in circulation was being checked as part of the investigation. Enquiries were on to identity the person speaking with the girl in the video. The mobile phone used for recording the video of the girl leaked earlier has been sent for forensic examination to Chennai.
The earlier video was shot by Muthuvel of Ariyalur district from where the girl hails. The forensic examination was being done to determine whether the video clip has been edited. The status report on the investigation made so far would be submitted to the High Court on Friday, the sources said.
Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.
