Unable to attend e-classes, Kerala teen kills herself

nTHIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A 14-yearold 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.

Policelaterrecoveredanempty kerosene bottle near her body. They cited preliminary investigationandaddeditindicatedsuicide. 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 beendefunctforlongandnooneat home had a smartphone.

Local legislator Abid Hussain Thangal called it a sad incident. “There are at least 20,000 students inmalappuramandwayanaddistricts 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.