Tamil Nadu: Class 12 student murders classmate for body shaming him
India Today
A Class 12 student in Tamil Nadu was murdered by his classmate in Kallakurichi district. The victim had allegedly body shamed the perpetrator, despite many objections and pleas to stop. The victim had called his friend “girlish” and had mocked his quiet personality.
A Class 12 student in Tamil Nadu’s Kallakurichi district murdered his classmate on Saturday, May 14, for body shaming him. The victim had allegedly called his friend “girlish.” Police registered a case of murder and sent the Class 12 boy to an observation home.
Tamil Nadu Police said that, despite the student’s repeated objection to his friend’s comments, the victim continued to mock the perpetrator’s looks and his quiet behaviour.
Angered by this, the accused called the victim for a party and allegedly stabbed him multiple times with a sickle and knife. It happened on a highway in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi district, near where their school is located, reported NDTV.
According to Dr Saranya Jaikumar, a member of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, "Body shaming leads to anxiety, depression, causing body dysmorphic disorder. Many times, this is reflected as anger or extreme depression."
Recently, Tamil Nadu has seen an increase in the number of student-related behavioural issues. Reports of violence between students, consuming alcohol, targeting teachers and also behaving inappropriately in class are on the rise.
However, this news of a Class 12 student murdering his classmate over alleged body shaming, has worried experts, reported NDTV.
Due to the increase in behavioural issues among school students in the state, School Education Minister, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, recently said those who cross limits will be dismissed from schools with adverse remarks on their transfer certificates.
