'Sexually Harassed' By Headmaster, Class 10 Student Kills Self In Odisha

Unable to bear the alleged sexual harassment by the headmaster, a class 10 girl student committed suicide by jumping from the terrace of the hostel building of a school in Odisha's Sundergarh district on Friday.

As per reports, the student jumped off the terrace of the two-storied hostel building of Panchayat Samiti High School at Lephripara today at around noon. Though the school authorities rushed her to the Sundergarh District Headquarters Hospital (DHH), doctors declared her dead before arrival.

It is alleged that the student was subjected to sexual harassment by the headmaster of the school which drove her to commit suicide in order to get rid of the torture. Besides, the family members of the deceased student have accused the school authorities of complicity and made murder allegations against them.

Though the school authorities claimed that the incident was an accident, the Lephripara police, during preliminary investigation, reportedly found foul play in the entire episode.

During the initial probe by police, several other girl students of the school reportedly disclosed that the headmaster was often sexually harassing the deceased. Subsequently, the Lephripara police detained the headmaster and the hostel superintendent.

"They are claiming that it was an accident, but they have actually killed her. The injury marks in her body do not seem to be of an accident, it's like an attack by a weapon," alleged the maternal uncle of the deceased.

"The school authorities said that it was an accident but the family members are alleging murder. We have detained some people following the preliminary probe. And, a detailed investigation is currently underway," informed Sundergarh SP Sagarika Nath.