Class 9 student commits suicide in Kerala; SFI activists' protest turn violent

by Seena Antony

Kottayam: Premises of an English-medium school in Kerala's Pampady town turned into a battlefield on Sunday after Students' Federation of India (SFI) activists barged into the campus protesting against the alleged suicide of Class 9 student. The activists damaged school building and destroyed benches and desks.

The police later resorted to lathi charge to control the violent activists. 

According to sources, the student – son of Vazhoor-based man – failed to secure passing marks in Class 9 examinations. Parents alleged that the school management refused to promote him to Class 10 due to poor marks scored in Class 9. Upset over this, the teenager committed suicide on Saturday night, said his father. 

The father added that the school management threatened to issue Transfer Certificate (TC). 

The school management has dismissed the allegation. Talking to mediapersons, a representative of the school's management said no one threatened the boy over promotion. 

However, they accepted that as per the rule those score below 40 pc in class 9 exam would not be promoted to class 10. 

Parents and SFI demanded special investigation into the issue.