The 14-year-old school girl who set herself on fire at her home in Tiruvottiyur on February 25, died on Monday morning.
The teenager, identified as Pavithra Muniyandi, was a class IX student of Jaigopal Garodia Government Higher Secondary School in Tiruvottiyur and a resident of Appar Nagar, Tiruvottiyur. Her father, Muniyandi, is a lathe worker while her mother, Shoba, is employed at the Amma Canteen in Tiruvottiyur.
Alleging their daughter was humiliated by her school teacher in the classroom for talking to boys, the parents have demanded the arrest of the teacher. Speaking to The Hindu outside Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital on Monday afternoon, Ms. Shoba said her daughter had stated she attempted suicide only because her social studies teacher humiliated her in front of her classmates.
The Tiruvottiyur police had registered an FIR stating Pavithra attempted suicide by self-immolation after her mother scolded her for not studying properly. However, Ms. Shoba alleged the police had forged her signature and fabricated the complaint to protect the teacher whose husband is a local politician.
Around 3 p.m. on Monday, Pavithra’s relatives staged a road roko outside KMC and refused to accept her body, demanding the arrest of the teacher. Senior police officers reached the spot and pacified the protesters, promising to take action if an investigation revealed the teacher was at fault. Following this, Pavithra’s relatives accepted the body a few hours later.
Suicide prevented helpline Sneha can be contacted on: 044-24640050
