Tamil Nadu student suicide case: CBI files FIR, books hostel warden for abetment
India Today
The CBI has filed an FIR in the Tamil Nadu student suicide and forced conversion case and named the warden of the hostel as an accused.
A day after the Supreme Court order, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed an FIR to probe the Thanjavur student suicide case. The Tamil Nadu government had earlier appealed against the Madras High Court order in which the CBI was asked to probe the case.The deceased, a Class 12 student, had alleged in a 44-second video allegedly shot before her death that she was coerced to convert to Christianity by a person identified as Raquel Mary.
The 17-year-old lived in a boarding house of the Sacred Hearts Higher Secondary School in Michaelpatti in Thanjavur. She attempted suicide on January 17 due to alleged torture by two nuns. She died in hospital a few days later.The CBI has named hostel warden Sister Sagaya Mary as an accused in the case. The accused has been charged with section 305 (abetment of suicide of child), 511 (Punishment for attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life) and Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act.The minor girl’s death attracted widespread controversy in the state and fuelled a political slugfest over allegations of forced conversion by the school.
READ | Tamil Nadu student suicide: DMK MLA welcomes prime accused outside prisonAccording to the FIR, the girl gave her statement to the police while she was undergoing treatment at the hospital before her death. “During the past one year, the hostel warden Sister Sagaya Mary used to take me to an office at Karumanapam, Trichy in connection with matters relating to running of the school hostel. When my mother came to know about this, she instructed me not to go. But the sister used to take me to Trichy without my mother’s knowledge.”The statement by the deceased further alleged that was asked to clean the hostel and do chores like removal of grass from the grounds, cleaning of premises using water, etc.“Hence, I could not concentrate on my studies. I didn't tell this to my parents. While I was in mental stress due to this, on January 9, 2022 after attending to works including removal of grass, cleaning of rooms and cleaning of premises, I had my lunch and was watching TV in St. Michael Girls Hostel (Children Home), Michaelpatti and was speaking to my friends till 04.30 pm. After everyone left the prayer hall where we were watching TV, at about 5 PM, since I was being asked to do more and more works and was also getting scolded, got vexed and took Agrosone pesticide kept in the stationery almirah in prayer hall and consumed one and half tumbler of the same,” she said in the statement.After around 30 minutes, the girl started vomiting. She was taken to the nurse who gave her medicines and an injection. Next day, her family came and took Lavanya to their residence. She was admitted to the hospital the next day after complaining of continuous pain in her stomach.Police recorded her statement on January 16, 2022.
