The family of a 16-year-old student who died by suicide at a metro station in central Delhi has accused his school and teachers of creating an environment of constant pressure and humiliation. The boy’s father claimed that excessive academic stress and repeated scolding pushed his son toward the tragic decision.
According to the father, his son had been “troubled over petty issues” for nearly a year. A suicide note recovered by the police also stated that the teenager was allegedly mistreated by multiple teachers.
Family alleges sustained harassment
Speaking to media earlier, the boy’s father said that his son frequently complained about being scolded and targeted by his teachers. The family claims they approached the school several times, but their concerns were ignored. “Even his friends were troubled by the same teachers,” he added.
He said the teachers repeatedly pressured the boy to score higher marks, despite the teenager insisting he was trying his best. The parents had considered moving him to another school after Class 10 but asked him to stay until board examinations due to the school’s control over internal assessment marks.
The father said their complaints were routinely dismissed by the school, which blamed the boy for poor concentration. “They said his Math grades were weak and he didn’t focus in class,” he said before leaving for their native village in Sangli, Maharashtra, for the cremation.
Incident before the suicide
Reports suggest that on the day of the incident, the boy fainted during a dance practice session on stage. Instead of attending to him, teachers allegedly accused him of pretending and publicly scolded him. When he began crying, one teacher reportedly told him, “Cry as much as you want, it doesn’t matter to me,” an incident also described in the suicide note.
The teenager died later that evening at a metro station in west Delhi. His suicide note stated that no student should ever be treated the way he was and named four teachers he believed “must be punished.”
Support and awareness
Suicides can be highly distressing and triggering. It’s important to remember that help is available, and early intervention can save lives. In India, suicide prevention helplines include Sumaitri’s 011-23389090 (Delhi) and Sneha Foundation’s 044-24640050 (Chennai).