'Good At Mimicry, Loved To Dance': Heartbroken Father of Deceased Delhi Student Shares Emotional Memories of His Son

New Delhi: The father of the 16-year-old boy who died by suicide on Tuesday broke down while speaking to Republic, sharing emotional details about his son and accusing school staff of repeatedly harassing him.

He said the family was immensely proud of their son, who dreamed of becoming an actor and dancer. “We were very proud of our son. He recently represented his school in a dance competition. He was good at mimicry. He was a shy child and had been studying in this school since Class 2,” the grieving father added. 

Speaking exclusively to Republic, the teenager’s father also made explosive allegations, saying his son had been subjected to constant harassment for several months.

He claimed that the school coordinator was the main person who troubled his son, adding that the harassment took place in front of the headmaster, yet no action was taken.

“Many students took part in the protest yesterday. A student from the 2019 batch was also there, and he said that the same things used to happen with him,” the father said.

“A child complaining to her teacher about bullying was not solved. This is the issue we've raised. The last PTM I attended, I told the teacher that marks don't matter, but small mischiefs are not big crimes,” he said.

Further expressing his disappointment, he said he was not satisfied with the police investigation so far. “Why were two days given by the police to the school before suspension? Why aren’t the teachers mentioned in the suicide note arrested yet? I demand the arrest of all four teachers,” he added.

The father called for stronger awareness and accountability in schools. “We don’t want another child to take this drastic step,” he said. 

He acknowledged that CBSE is at least taking the case seriously, saying, “At least there is some positive sign from the CBSE, who is taking action on the matter.” Earlier, CBSE officials raised serious concerns, questioning how unsafe the school environment was. Why such incidents continue to occur. The family continues to demand strict action and justice for their son.

He also spoke with the parents of a class 6 girl who also committed suicide by jumping from the school balcony, allegedly based on the harassment. “There are many such children like them. We expect justice for such children.”

Probe underway in Delhi Class X Student Suicide Case 

A Class 10 student died by suicide after jumping from the platform of Central Delhi's Rajendra Place Metro Station on Tuesday afternoon. The 16-year-old boy, who studied at a private school in the national capital, blamed his schoolteachers for mentally harassing him. 

In his suicide note, the boy named “St Columba's teachers” – “Yukti Ma’am, Pal Ma’am, Manu Ma’am”. He said his last wish is that action be taken against them. “I do not want any other child to suffer like me,” he added.

In an ongoing investigation, the Delhi Police will question the management of St Columba's School regarding the suicide of a 16-year-old student. 

Meanwhile, Delhi's Education Minister has also assured the parents that he is addressing the case not just as a minister but as a concerned parent. He announced that, "We have formed a committee to probe the case and will write to schools to comply with CBSE's directives on dealing with mental health issues." 

The committee comprises:

• Harshit Jain – Joint Director (Chairperson)
• Anil Kumar – Directorate of Distance Education (C/ND)
• Poonam Yadav – Directorate of Distance Education (Zone 26)
• Kapil Kumar Gupta – Principal
• Sarita Devi – Principal