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A 16-year-old Class 10 student has died by suicide in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India, after allegedly being mocked by a teacher and classmates for saying that his family ate beef, according to media reports.
Police have registered a case against the school’s headmaster and class teacher in connection with the student’s death.
The family alleged that the boy was humiliated in the classroom and continued to face mental harassment afterwards. The incident has sparked tension in the area and raised concerns over discrimination and student safety in schools.
According to Indian media reports, the student, identified as Alikan, attended Sri KK Naidu Higher Secondary School in the Peelamedu area of Coimbatore. He was the only child of a Scheduled Caste family. His father, Ashok Kumar, works at a laundry, while his mother, Kaushalya Devi, works as a domestic helper.
According to a complaint filed by the family, class teacher Vijay Kumar was discussing the rules for special allowances available to students from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes last Thursday. During the discussion, he allegedly asked which students ate beef.
Alikan raised his hand and said that his family ate beef. The teacher allegedly made disparaging remarks about him, while two classmates joined in mocking him. The family claimed that the harassment continued outside the classroom.
The complaint further stated that Alikan had reported the teacher’s behaviour to headmaster Arun Kumar, but the headmaster allegedly took no action.
Both of the boy’s parents were away at work when the incident occurred. They found their son’s body after returning home.
Following the incident, several students reportedly gave statements to police. A case has been registered against headmaster Arun Kumar and teacher Vijay Kumar under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The allegations against the two teachers have yet to be established, and the outcome of the investigation remains unknown.
Alikan’s parents have demanded the arrest of the two accused teachers. Police said further action would be taken based on the preliminary investigation.
The case has renewed concerns over discrimination in schools, the treatment of students from marginalised communities and teachers’ responsibility to ensure a safe and respectful learning environment.