Over a year after a tragic suicide incident involving a 16-year-old student from Army Public School in Delhi, the Delhi Police has filed a charge sheet against the school’s former principal and class coordinator, accusing them of abetment to suicide. The charge sheet was recently submitted to the Patiala House Court in response to a complaint filed by the student’s father, who serves as an army havildar.
The unfortunate event unfolded on February 19, 2024, when the boy returned home from school with his mother. Shortly thereafter, he was discovered hanging in his room. According to his father, the student faced severe emotional distress after being denied access to his Class 10 board exam admit card just two days before the examinations were scheduled to begin.
The charge sheet indicates that the school authorities had imposed a ₹10,000 fine for damaging school property. A classroom desk was reportedly broken during an incident where the student uploaded a video to Instagram just three days prior to his death. Following this, the school summoned his mother and allegedly mistreated her, exacerbating the student’s anxiety. He was informed that the admit card would not be issued until his father met with the principal the next day.
Statements from witnesses—including classmates, teachers, and a tuition teacher—reveal that the student was deeply anxious about the consequences of not receiving his admit card. His tuition teacher mentioned that the boy had shown significant improvement in his studies but was troubled by the situation regarding his admit card. “I convinced him it couldn’t be held back, but he was very tense,” the teacher stated.
A classmate corroborated the stress the student experienced, revealing that he feared being barred from taking the exam, which he believed would have catastrophic effects on his academic career.
The police have charged the former principal and the class coordinator under Indian Penal Code sections 306 (abetment to suicide) and 34 (common intention). Neither of the accused has been arrested as of yet, as the court has yet to take cognizance of the charge sheet. A hearing is scheduled for July 17.
In their respective statements to the police, both accused denied any allegations of wrongdoing, asserting that the student had only received a disciplinary note and that the admit card would have been given after a meeting with the father. The former principal added that, according to CBSE guidelines, an admit card cannot be withheld arbitrarily.
The school has withheld comments on the situation, citing the ongoing police investigation. The accused class coordinator also declined to discuss the matter, stating that it was sub judice, while attempts to reach the former principal for comment were unsuccessful.
This case has previously ignited protests, with family members and supporters calling for accountability from the school authorities. Alongside the police investigation, an internal inquiry by the army is also underway to examine the circumstances surrounding this heartbreaking event.
