Teenage girl hangs herself in school; principal held after suicide note claims molestation
JASHPUR: A 15-year-old girl allegedly died by suicide by hanging herself in the study room of a private school after accusing the principal of molesting and sexually harassing her in Chhattisgarh's Jashpur district, officials said on Monday. The principal was arrested after the class 9 student allegedly used a saree to hang herself from a rod of the ceiling on Sunday evening. The school is located in a village under the Bagicha police station limits, Jashpur Senior Superintendent of Police Shashimohan Singh said, adding that the deceased was a resident of the Sitapur area in neighbouring Surguja district. Police found a suicide note at the spot, which accused the school principal, Kuldipan Topno, of molestation and sexual harassment, following which he was arrested, the police officer said. A case was registered, and further investigation is underway, he added. A joint team comprising officials of the education, tribal, and police departments conducted an inquiry following the incident. Preliminary findings revealed that the hostel on the school campus was unauthorised, officials said. Of the 124 students enrolled from classes 6 to 12 in the school, a total of 22 boys and 11 girls were staying in the hostel, which was allegedly being operated without mandatory permissions. All relevant documents have been seized, said Assistant Commissioner of the Tribal Department, Sanjay Singh. A magisterial inquiry has been ordered. The exact cause behind the incident will be ascertained only after the investigation, said Bagicha Sub-Divisional Magistrate Pradeep Rathiya. (If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050, Tele Manas - 14416 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)
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