Navi Mumbai: Atrocity charges have been added against the principal of Smt. Sushila Devi Deshmukh School in Airoli, who was earlier booked for abetment of suicide following the death of a tenth-grade student, Anushka Kewale. The 15-year-old student reportedly took her own life after being publicly humiliated during an examination.
According to police officials, Anushka was allegedly caught copying during an exam last Saturday and was later reprimanded and insulted by the principal in front of other students. The humiliation allegedly pushed her into distress, and she died by suicide at her residence later that day. The school’s headmistress reportedly berated Anushka in front of others, saying, “You people from the slums will never improve; you don’t deserve to study in this school,” as reported by the child’s father.
Initially, the Rabale Police registered a case against the principal for abetment of suicide. However, after it was confirmed that Anushka belonged to a Scheduled Caste community, the police added sections under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Republican Party of India (A) president Ramdas Athawale visited Anushka’s residence at Nausil Naka on Wednesday to meet and console her family. Condemning the incident, he demanded strict action against those responsible and assured full support to the grieving family.
“Mental harassment of students by teachers is a very serious issue. Schools are meant to nurture students, not humiliate them. If such incidents occur within educational institutions, corrective measures must be taken immediately. The guilty must face the harshest punishment,” Athawale said.
He was accompanied by Republican Party’s Maharashtra vice-president Sidram Ohol, Navi Mumbai district president Mahesh Khare, general secretary L.R. Gaikwad, working president Vijay Kamble, vice-president Tilak Jadhav, youth president Adv. Yashpal Ohol, and district spokesperson Sachin Katare.
“We have sent the notice to the Principal and further investigations about the incident is on,” senior police inspector Balkrishna Sawant said.
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