Boy immolates self in MP; principal, 2 others booked

THE 12YEAROLD BOY ALLEGEDLY SET HIMSELF ON FIRE ON SEPTEMBER 8 AFTER A WOMAN TEACHER SCOLDED AND CANED HIM FOR PICKING UP A FIGHT WITH ONE OF HIS CLASSMATES

BHOPAL: A case of abetment to suicide was registered on Saturday against a teacher, principal and a manager of a school in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district after a Class 5 student of the institute immolated himself.

The 12-year-old boy,a student of Vanasthali Public School, allegedly set himself on fire on September 8 after a female teacher scolded and caned him and later took him to the school manager and the principal after he reportedly picked a fight earlier in the day with one of his classmates.

The school authorities also asked the student to bring his parents to the school next day.

The boy, identified as Ayush Tiwari, succumbed to the burn injuries on Friday.

Chhindwara Kotwali police station in-charge Sumer Singh, quoting Ayush’s father, told Hindustan Times (HT) over phone that the boy after returning home from school took the extreme step by sprinkling kerosene over himself. With nearly 50% burn injuries, the boy was rushed to a hospital in Nagpur in neighbouring Maharashtra, where he succumbed to the injuries.

The school authorities had agreed to bear the cost of the boy’s treatment.

The police filed the FIR against the three based on the statement of the father of the deceased. They have been booked under section 305 of the IPC that deals with abetment to suicide of a child or an insane person. Chhindwara police, however, said they were yet to arrest the three accused.

“We are investigating the case after which follow up action will be taken,” Singh added.