Hazaribagh School Protest: Class 10 Student’s Suicide Sparks Outrage

Hazaribagh, (IANS): Hundreds of residents and family members of a Class 10 student staged a protest outside Vivekananda Vidyalaya on Monday, demanding a fair investigation into her death.

The victim’s family stated that 15-year-old Shweta Kumari committed suicide after facing sustained mental harassment from a fellow student and intimidation from a school teacher. The institution falls under the jurisdiction of the Bara Bazar police station in Hazaribagh town.

Demonstrators blocked the school’s main gate for nearly an hour, raising slogans to seek justice for the student and demanding that the police take strict legal action against those responsible.

The victim’s father, Sanjay Gupta, alleged that a male student, Solenz Rana, had been harassing Shweta for nearly a month and exerting “unethical pressure” on her. The family further charged that a school teacher, Pratibha Singh, threatened Shweta through phone calls. This severe mental stress eventually drove Shweta to consume poison.

As her health deteriorated, her family initially admitted her to Arogyam Hospital in Hazaribagh before transferring her to Medanta Hospital in Ranchi for advanced treatment. She ultimately succumbed during treatment on May 15.

Upon receiving word of the escalating protest, the Bara Bazar police station in charge rushed to the spot with a police contingent to defuse the situation. During the demonstration, BJP leader Amardeep Yadav and members of the Mukti Dham Seva Sansthan, led by Neeraj Kumar, met with the grieving family to offer support.

Police and administrative officials assured the family that they would conduct an impartial investigation. The protesters finally withdrew their agitation after the administration promised to arrest the accused student and the teacher named in the complaint within a week.

The police confirmed that they have registered an FIR based on the written complaint lodged by the victim’s father. Investigators are now analysing technical and scientific evidence to probe the case.