Father of Tamil Nadu girl who died by suicide moves SC, seeks autopsy panel rejig

The father of the Class 12 girl who purportedly jumped to her death from the terrace of her hostel at a private school in Tamil Nadu’s Kallakurichi has moved the Supreme Court, seeking the presence of a doctor of their choosing to be present on the autopsy panel.

The father of the Class 12 girl who purportedly jumped to her death from the terrace of her hostel at a private school in Tamil Nadu’s Kallakuruchi has moved the Supreme Court, seeking an amendment of the Madras High Court order on the second autopsy.

Violence broke out on the premises of a private school in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi on Sunday morning over the death of the Class 12 girl on the campus. Protesters vandalised the school and set fire to school vehicles four days after a school watchman found the body of the girl on the ground floor of the hostel. The girl purportedly killed herself after facing harassment at the hands of two schoolteachers, who are among five officials arrested.

The initial autopsy showed that the girl died of multiple injuries and haemorrhage. However, the girl's family alleged that her death was not suicide. In a complaint to police, the family alleged that she had sustained injuries prior to her death and was sexually assaulted. The girl's family have held the school management responsible for her death.

The father of the girl moved the high court, seeking another autopsy, which the Madras HC allowed. It also said that the parents must be allowed to remain present during the autopsy.

The HC said cases of such unnatural death of students at educational institutions should be investigated by the CB-CID and the autopsy should be done by a team of three doctors and video recorded. The court issued these directions while hearing a petition by the victim's father seeking a re-autopsy.

However, alleging foul play, the family has moved the SC, seeking a rejig of the autopsy panel and asking for a doctor of their choosing to be on it.