NEW DELHI: Deepshikha, the woman who saw the school student last time, before he headed to the Rajendra Place Metro Station and allegedly died by suicide, said that he looked disturbed and told her that the teachers “tortured” him.On Saturday, Deepshikha said she was travelling in the same rickshaw as the victim on November 18.She said, “I bring my ward home from school in a rickshaw every day. But on the afternoon of November 18, when I had just sat in the rickshaw with my son, he (the victim) suddenly came running and quickly got in. He kept telling the driver to go faster. He looked very disturbed.”“I asked him what had happened, and he replied, ‘You should withdraw your son from the school.’ He further said, ‘My board exams are coming up, and the teachers torture me a lot. I can’t even explain how much. My parents are called to school again and again’,” the woman added.A class 10 student who allegedly died by suicide near Rajendra Place Metro Station left behind a note accusing his school teachers of harassment and demanding strict action against them.According to the FIR, the student is believed to have jumped from Platform No. 2 of the Rajendra Place Metro Station.Even as parents and students continued their protest outside the private school on Saturday, Delhi education minister Ashish Sood said on Friday that the state government had constituted an inquiry committee to investigate the incident.Speaking to reporters, Sood said that the school had also taken certain actions in the matter. He added that he would be writing to schools to check whether they are monitoring students’ mental health and overall well-being as mandated under CBSE guidelines.“We have formed an investigation committee, and the school has also taken action. I see this not only as the education minister, but also as a concerned parent. Soon, I will be writing to schools to ask whether they are monitoring students’ mental health and overall well-being in accordance with CBSE guidelines. The state government is ready to provide handholding and support. We are deeply concerned about our children’s mental health and well-being,” the Delhi education minister said.Meanwhile, the school, located in central Delhi, has suspended four of its staff members. (With agency inputs)
