Class 12 student dies by suicide, alleges mental harassment by school over unpaid fees

AMRITSAR: A tragic incident has come to light where a Class 12 student ended her life after allegedly facing severe mental harassment by her school management over unpaid fees. Amritsar police commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar confirmed that following the viral video, a case has been formally registered based on the victim's video statement, adding that the police have launched a full-scale investigation. Giving further details, station house officer (SHO) of Police Station Sadar, Kirandeep Singh, informed that the victim has been identified as 17-year-old Amjot Kaur. According to police sources, she had been staying with her maternal aunt to pursue her studies. She consumed a poisonous substance on May 22 and succumbed during treatment on Saturday night. Before passing away, the victim recorded a video statement from her hospital bed, detailing the ordeal that drove her to take the extreme step. In the video, which has since gone viral, the distressed student leveled serious allegations against her school administration, holding them directly responsible for her condition. "I was called to school on May 11, where I was subjected to severe mental torture and was taken to a seperate room where I was mentally tortured", the victim stated in the viral video while pleading for justice. According to police sources, the victim's family maintains that the dispute arose over pending school fees amounting to approximately Rs 20,000. The victim's family alleged that despite their circumstances, the school staff were relentlessly pressuring the teenager to clear the dues. The SHO further informed that the police conducted the post-mortem examination of the hapless girl on Sunday and handed over her body to the family adding that police teams are currently conducting raids to arrest the accused. Punjab minister Harjot Singh Bains on Tuesday said an FIR for abetment to suicide has been registered against school authorities following the death of a 17-year-old girl who allegedly accused the school of harassment before taking the extreme step. "It is very sad news that a 17-year-old girl has committed suicide, in which she alleges that the school harassed her. It is due to various reasons like not paying fees or other reasons. Taking it very seriously, we have registered an FIR for abetment to suicide and strictest action has been taken against the school authorities, plus whoever is involved, " minister Harjot Singh Bains said.