Student dies by suicide over school punishment

A 16-year-old Class XI student allegedly died by suicide after jumping from the third-floor terrace of a private school in Faridabad's NIT area on Tuesday afternoon. The family of the victim accused the school of subjecting her to prolonged punishment. The school has denied the allegations, while police said they are examining CCTV footage and have not yet received a formal complaint against the institution.

The incident took place between 1 pm and 1.30 pm, around the time classes were ending for the day, according to police. School staff rushed the girl to a nearby healthcare facility after she fell from the terrace. She was later taken to the district civil hospital, where doctors declared her dead-on arrival.

The girl's parents have alleged that she was made to stand outside her classroom for nearly four hours as punishment following a dispute involving some students. Her father told reporters that his daughter was doing well academically and had shown no unusual behaviour when she left home for school that morning. He alleged that the punishment left her distressed and humiliated.

The family has also questioned the circumstances surrounding the incident and alleged that they were informed only after a considerable delay. Police, however, said the parents have so far not made these allegations in a formal complaint.

The school has strongly rejected the family's account.

According to police officials, the principal told investigators that the student had sought permission to go to the washroom and was accompanied by a female staff member. The school claimed that the girl then moved towards the terrace and jumped before anyone could stop her. The management has told authorities that it is cooperating with the investigation.

Police are now examining CCTV recordings from the school premises, including corridors and other areas, to establish what happened in the period before the student went to the terrace. Investigators are also expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the alleged punishment and determine whether there was any delay in informing the family.

The student's father told reporters that a dispute had taken place among some students earlier in the day and alleged that his daughter had been singled out for punishment. He described her as a good student and said her behaviour had appeared normal before she left for school.

The conflicting accounts have placed the focus on what happened inside the school in the hours before the teenager's death. Police said the CCTV footage will be important in reconstructing her movements and establishing whether she was subjected to any disciplinary action before the incident.

Police officials said the girl's parents submitted an application early Wednesday seeking a post-mortem examination. However, they had not made any allegation against the school through a formal complaint at that stage.

The autopsy is expected to help establish the precise cause and circumstances of death. Further legal action will depend on the findings of the post-mortem examination and the contents of any formal complaint submitted by the family, police said.

The incident has raised questions about student discipline, supervision and safety inside school premises. The police investigation will determine whether the allegations made by the family are supported by evidence or whether the sequence described by the school is borne out by CCTV footage and statements of staff and other witnesses.

The school has maintained that it did not mistreat the student and that its staff attempted to supervise her when she sought permission to leave the classroom. Police said the investigation remains underway.