(Trigger Warning: Descriptions of homophobia and suicide. Reader discretion advised.)
The Haryana Police on Sunday, 27 February, arrested DPS Greater Faridabad Academic Head Mamta Gupta, in connection with case of a student suicide. An FIR was filed against Gupta for the abetment of suicide.
The educator was taken to the BPTP Police Station in Faridabad, as per the police.
What Had Happened
A Class 10 student from Delhi Public School in Greater Faridabad had died by suicide on Thursday, 24 February, leaving behind a note accusing his school of bullying.
The teenage boy's mother, who is also a teacher in the same school, alleged that her son was harassed over his sexuality. A suicide note recovered from the 15-year-old's house read: “The school has killed me... especially higher authorities.”
An FIR had been registered under Section 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the academic head of the school.
"His mother works in our school. She gave us a written document mentioning the names of students who used to trouble her son. Those students are no longer part of our school," the accused, Mamta Gupta, had been quoted as saying by ANI on Saturday, 25 February, prior to her arrest.
A close family member told The Quint that the boy was dyslexic and was undergoing therapy due to distress.
"There has been several instances of bullying. Not only was he repeatedly mocked and called 'gay', he was also stripped in the school bathroom. We know that several emails were written to the school authorities. But what action was taken? We demand to know," they had said.
"From the complaint, the family has said that two other students passed lewd remarks against the deceased over his sexuality. When a complaint was made to the school authorities, no action was taken. The boy was studying from home due to lockdown. But when physical classes started, he was subjected to bullying again," a Faridabad Police spokesperson had told The Quint.
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