SUICIDE

Girl student's suicide prompts stir in Cooch Behar

 

COOCH BEHAR, Sept. 28: The suicide of a girl student of Class IX of a reputed English medium school of Cooch Behar evoked sharp reactions in this town. Chhatra Parishad and Trinamul Youth Congress adopted different programmes demanding arrest of the 'accused'.

 

It was learnt that Koyel Pal (15) was a student of Class IX in St Mary's School in Cooch Behar. In absence of her parents in their residence at Khagrabari she committed suicide by consuming poison on Friday. When her body was brought to the MJN Hospital the doctors declared her brought dead.

 

Her father Mr Paritosh Pal is an employee of WBSEDCL and her mother Mrs Bharati Pal is a health worker.

 

In his complaint submitted to the police Koyel's father held the principal of the school, Sister Lily, responsible for his daughter's suicide. Her cruel and unjustified behaviours provoked his daughter to commit suicide, he alleged.  But, the principal was not available to make any comment over the incident.

 

Police said a probe already started into the incident following the complaint lodged by the father of the deceased girl. The post-mortem of the body was done on Saturday.

 

On Saturday, Chhatra Parishad activists demonstrated in front of the school demanding arrest of the principal. They decided to launch a massive movement till arrest of the principal. Tomorrow, they will stage roadblock at different places. They also called a students' strike in the district on Tuesday. If no action was taken they will call a general strike in Cooch Behar on the next day.

 

Meanwhile, district Trinamul Congress president Mr Rabi Ghosh and vice-president Mr Niranjan Dutta visited the bereaved parents of Koyel today. They declared that Trinamul Youth Congress activists would demonstrate at the Kotowali police station tomorrow demanding arrest of the principal of the school. []