A tragic incident occurred in Dhanbad, Jharkhand, where a 10th-grade student took her own life on Monday, July 10th. This was after being subjected to humiliation, slapping, and expulsion from St. Xavier’s School for wearing a bindi on her forehead. The girl, identified as Usha Kumari, attended the convent school wearing the bindi. She was publicly shamed by a teacher during the school assembly. Despite immediately removing the bindi upon seeing the teacher, she was slapped twice in front of everyone. Usha was subsequently taken to the principal’s office, where she was expelled from the school.
Suicide From Humiliation
Following this ordeal, the girl returned home and hanged herself from the ceiling of her room at 11 am on July 10th, leaving a suicide note in her school uniform. In the note, she held the responsible teacher and school principal accountable for her tragic decision.
The family members filed a complaint, leading to the arrest of the accused teacher and an investigation by the police.
Protest By Kins
The next day, on July 11th, the villagers and the family members of the deceased girl staged a protest and blocked a road near St. Xavier’s School. The grieving mother expressed her anguish, stating that her daughter had removed the bindi immediately upon seeing the teacher, but she was still slapped in front of the entire assembly. Despite explaining the situation to the principal, her pleas fell on deaf ears, resulting in her daughter’s expulsion.
Will Justice Be Served?
Demanding justice, the mother insisted that everyone mentioned in the suicide note should be arrested. The teacher involved defended the slapping incident, claiming that the student had responded impolitely. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) took notice of the matter, with Chairperson Priyank Kanoongo acknowledging the incident and stating that an investigation team from the NCPCR would visit Dhanbad to look into the case.