Father takes fight to Smriti Irani after teen 'harassed' at school kills herself

Parents of a 17-year-old girl, who allegedly committed suicide last month after being upbraided by her school teachers, have written to Minister of Human Resource Development Smriti Irani seeking justice.

Accusing three teachers of Salt Lake's Kendriya Vidyalaya II for abetting the suicide by his daughter Kamalika, Kishalay Das said the letter was sent to the minister on January 27. "We want nothing but justice and punishment for the teachers who have pushed my daughter to take this drastic step," Das told PTI on Wednesday.

"We are hopeful of getting a positive reply from the minister. We want the government to ensure that this kind of thing never happens with anybody else in the future... This is my plea," Das added.

He also alleged that though a first information report was lodged with the Bidhannagar South police station on January 24 four days after the alleged suicide, police has not taken any step or interrogated anyone in this connection. "I have met top police officials on Monday but they too appeared very casual. If nothing happens I have plans to go the next top level. I want justice at any cost," Das said.

The school principal could not be contacted for her comments.

Kamalika, who was a Std XII student, allegedly committed suicide by jumping from the terrace of their seven-storey apartment at Salt Lake area on January 20.

The teenager, her father claimed, had returned home depressed after she was rebuked by teachers for failing to complete a Hindi assignment on January 19. The next day her mother was insulted by the teachers when she visited the school, which, he said, had a negative impact on her mind. Kamalika was also threatened with rustication, the father further alleged.

Several students of the school staged protest demonstrations outside the school premises as well as on the social networking sites after the incident.