Chennai: A class 11 student in Tamil Nadu allegedly suffered harassment and stalking for eight months before she gave up. On Saturday, her mother returned from the market to find her hanging in their Chennai home.
“A girl is safe only in the mother’s womb and grave,” said the teen’s suicide note, the words revealing unspeakable pain and desperation, the extent of which was not known even to her family.
A 21-year-old college student has been arrested in Chennai for alleged sex assault.
The young man has confessed, the police claimed today, charging him under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
“The boy has confessed to a physical relationship with the minor girl. In the last two weeks he had been harassing and torturing her. We have located filthy messages and the exchange of photographs. They had a good friendly relationship for eight months before all this,” a police officer investigating the case told.
The girl’s mother had been out for only an hour when she allegedly died by suicide. Her room was bolted and had to be broken down.
In the note found in the room, she also said school was not safe and teachers could not be trusted. She wrote that she could not even study or sleep because of “mental torture”.
“Every parent should teach their kids and sons (to treat) girls with respect,” wrote the schoolgirl.
Three years ago, when the girl was in class 8, the boy was in Class 11 in the same school. She moved to a girl’s school later but the two allegedly became friends over Instagram.
The police are investigating whether the girl was harassed by more people, based on her suicide note.
The note, which also said, “Stop S**xual Harassment” and ended with “Justice for Me”, mentioned three possible harassers – “relative, teacher, everyone”.
In the past few weeks, there have been four more suicides die to s**xual harassment – in one case allegedly by teachers.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin recently put out a video message saying the loss of lives “disturbs me” and urging people “not to take extreme measures but courageously report such perpetrators and ensure they are brought to justice”.