Man nabbed for throwing stones at school gate

BALIK PULAU: Police have arrested a man who threw stones at the front gate of SMK Methodist Nibong Tebal on Monday.

The school is where Form Two student M. Vasanthapiriya studied before she committed suicide after being accused of stealing her teacher’s iPhone.

Police from the Seberang Prai Selatan district police headquarters detained the 58-year-old man at 4pm yesterday after receiving information from the school.

District police chief Superintendent Shafee Abd Samad said this at the Remaja Berwawasan programme at SMK Teluk Bahang here yesterday.

He said police recorded statements from the teacher, 46, accused of being responsible in Vasanthapiriya’s suicide, and her husband, 48, to assist investigations.

Police have recorded statements from 30 witnesses.

The teacher’s phone has yet to be recovered.

Shafee said investigation papers had been referred to the deputy public prosecutor for the next course of action.

The case is being investigated under Section 309 of the Penal Code for attempted suicide, which carries a one-year jail or fine, or both, if convicted.

It was reported that Vasanthapiriya, 14, died at Seberang Jaya Hospital about a week after her suicide attempt.