The Haryana Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of the death of a 16-year-old Class XI student of a private school on Dabua-Ghazipur Road in Faridabad and sought detailed factual and action-taken reports from the concerned authorities.
School staff took her to the hospital, where doctors declared her dead from injuries sustained in the fall. “If the allegation of making the student stand in the scorching sun for several hours was established, such conduct would not amount to legitimate discipline. The commission directed the School Education Department to examine the matter and the Director General, Secondary Education, Haryana, to conduct a detailed inquiry into disciplinary practices and safeguards against corporal punishment and mental harassment.
The student allegedly jumped from the terrace of the school’s third-floor building at around 1pm to 1:30pm on September 1, after classes had ended, according to news reports cited by the commission.
Instead, it would raise serious questions of corporal punishment, humiliation, mental harassment and violation of the child’s dignity and psychological well-being,” he said.
The school administration has denied the allegations. Police are examining CCTV footage and questioning teachers, the principal and classmates. She was taken to hospital by school staff, where she was declared dead from injuries sustained in the fall.
An FIR under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to abetment of suicide, was reportedly registered at Dabua police station on her father’s complaint. Earlier reporting noted: 16-year-old student’s death in Faridabad : Physical punishment in name of discipline unacceptable in schools, says rights panel The Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance on the death of a 16-year-old Class 11 student of a government school in Faridabad, who jumped from the school’s terrace, and observed that there is no place for physical punishment and mental harassment in any educational institution. Earlier reporting noted: According to news reports cited by the commission, the student allegedly jumped from the terrace of the school’s third-floor building at around 1pm–1.30pm on September 1, after classes had ended. It has also been reported that, on the complaint of the student’s father, an FIR under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, relating to abetment of suicide, was registered and that the police are examining CCTV footage and other facts relating to the incident,” a statement read.
Earlier reporting noted: “According to the news reports, the student was allegedly punished by a teacher prior to the incident and was reportedly made to stand in the sun for several hours.
The reports alleged that the student had been punished by a teacher and made to stand in the sun for several hours, reportedly around four hours, before the incident.
The Commissioner of Police, Faridabad, was asked to report on the FIR and investigation, record statements, investigate the punishment allegation and preserve and examine CCTV footage from the classroom, corridors, school premises, staircase, terrace and other relevant locations. The Deputy Commissioner and District Education Officer, Faridabad, were directed to examine supervision, access to hazardous areas, CCTV coverage, emergency response, recurrence-prevention measures and counselling and mental-health support. The school management must preserve CCTV footage, attendance and class records, disciplinary records, duty rosters and other relevant material.
