Unable to attend e-classes, Kerala teen kills herself

TH I RU VAN ANT HAP U RAM: A 14- year old girl allegedly committed suicide in Kerala’s Malappuram as she was disturbed because she could not attend online classes since her family did not have either a TV or smartphone, her parents said.

The girl’s charred body was recovered from an isolated plot near her house in Valancherry after she went missing from her house on Monday, the first day of the new academic year that began with virtual classes.

Police later recovered an empty kerosene bottle near her body. They cited preliminary investigation and added it indicated suicide. A suicide note was also recovered. Police said the girl’s body has been sent for post-mortem.

The girl was a Class 9 student at a government school. Her parents said they had a small TV but they could not get it repaired as the family head, a Dalit, has been without work for three months due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

The girl’s grandmother said Devika was “upset and depressed” as she was unable to attend the digital class.the victim’s father said she was nervous as the family’s television set had been defunct for long and noon eat home had a smartphone.

Local legislator Abid Hussain Thangal called it a sad incident. “There are at least 20,000 students in ma lap pu ram and way an ad districts alone, who have no access to TV or smartphones,” he said.

Kerala education minister C Raveendranath said he has sought a report from the district education officer.