Delhi Class 10 Student Dies by Suicide; Note Alleges Harassment by Teachers and Headmistress

A Class 10 student of a prominent central Delhi school died by suicide on Tuesday, leaving behind a handwritten note accusing his teachers and the headmistress of persistent harassment.

The 16-year-old boy jumped from an elevated metro station in West Delhi in the afternoon. Police recovered a note from his school bag in which he named the teachers and the headmistress, alleging they had continually mistreated him.

A case has been registered against the school staff under Sections 107 (abetment to suicide) and 3(5) (common intention in a criminal act) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Three staff members and the headmistress were suspended on Thursday.

The Delhi government’s Directorate of Education has formed a five-member committee, chaired by Joint Director Harshit Jain, to probe the incident. The panel will submit its report within three days.

What the probe has revealed so far

• Months of “targeted harassment,” say family and friends
According to the boy’s friends and relatives, he faced sustained harassment in the days leading up to the incident. They allege the school ignored multiple warning signs.

Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage from both the school and the metro station. A senior officer quoted in an earlier HT report said statements from several students have already been recorded.

• Student told counsellor about suicidal thoughts
The student’s father said his son had confided in friends that he had informed the school counsellor of his suicidal thoughts, but was not taken seriously.

“His friends told us he had shared these thoughts with the counsellor, but she dismissed it,” the boy’s uncle said.

• Classmate backs the claims of bullying
A classmate corroborated the contents of the one-and-a-half-page note found in the boy’s bag, saying the student was “being bullied by teachers.”

“My friend had spoken to the counsellor about his problems. We planned to file a formal complaint with the headmistress in the next two-three days,” the classmate said.

The boy’s father said his son had again mentioned on Monday — a day before the suicide — that he was being troubled at school and threatened with expulsion.

• Parents called for minor issues, allege students
Several students claimed the school frequently summoned parents over trivial matters.
“They call parents even if someone spills water in class,” a student said, alleging teachers often use abusive language.

The boy’s father said he had been summoned three months earlier for a minor disciplinary issue, adding he had urged teachers not to pressure children over marks.

• CCTV shows boy helping a woman moments before the incident
Footage from the metro station shows the boy placing his bag down and walking around for a couple of minutes before helping guide a woman standing on the platform.

“He even spoke to the guard before jumping when the guard briefly looked away,” the boy’s uncle said.

Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances that led to the tragedy, as the incident has sparked renewed concerns over student welfare and accountability in schools.