Class 10 student of top Kolkata school found dead in mysterious circumstances inside toilet

The student, a class topper, was found lying in a pool of blood inside the school bathroom with a slit wrist and plastic covering the face.

KOLKATA: A class 10th student of a prominent city-based school was found dead Friday under mysterious circumstances on the campus. The teenager was found lying in a pool of blood inside the school bathroom with a slit wrist and plastic covering the face. 

The student, a class topper, went missing at around 1:30 pm after she visited the toilet. More than 45 minutes later (around 2:30 pm), the teachers noticed her absence. She was found in an unconscious state inside one of the toilets with a blade and polythene near the body. The school authorities immediately rushed her to the hospital, where doctors declared brought dead. 

A three-page handwritten suicide note was also recovered near the body, said the police who're currently trying to ascertain if it’s a case of suicide or murder. Deputy Commissioner Special of Kolkata Detective department rushed to the spot to investigate the incident. 

“A 3-page suicide note has been found on her. Face was covered by a plastic. Death due suffocation or wrist slit will be known in the postmortem. Cause of death is yet to be known,” said police, adding that CCTV footage will be checked. 

The victim was reportedly under a lot of pressure and was preparing to get through the Indian Statistical Institute – Kolkata. In the suicide note, she mentions not being able to sleep for the last three months. 

Classmates and school friends said that she seemed fine throughout the day and suddenly disappeared after a break. In the last period, they came to know that she was found inside one of the toilets. 

“A suicide note has been found, it was a handwritten note. We have sent it to a handwriting expert to see whether its her or not. She was under a lot of pressure on her, parents said. Note said that she was preparing to get through ISI. A blade, polythene found on her. Note says she couldn’t sleep since three months. Autopsy to be conducted on her. CCTV has been collected. We are examining other students and teachers and then we will conclude the time she was inside the toilet,” Murlidhar Sharma Joint CP Traffic, Kolkata Police said.

Questions are being raised as to why the teachers and toilet helpers did not immediately notice her absence.

The incident came as a grim reminder of the Ryan School murder case. On September 8, Class II student Pradyuman Thakur was found dead under mysterious circumstances inside the toilet of the school, his throat slit. After days of probing, a Class 11 student was arrested for the crime. The murder sparked nation-wide outrage with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) introducing new school safety guidelines. The Board said onus for safety and security of children in school campus shall solely lie upon the school authorities.