Student’s suicide: West Bengal Govt unable to take action against principal

KOLKATA - West Bengal School Education Minister Partha Dey on Friday said the State Government is unable to take any action against the Principal of La Martiniere Boys’ School, for the caning and humiliation of 13-year-old student Rouvanjit, who committed suicide.

Interacting with media, Dey said the Government’s hands are tied and the only available recourse for the future, is to set up an authority under the Right to Education Act to safeguard the interests of children in schools.

“An authority can be set up under a State Act. It can supercede the schools with minority status, and parents teachers can complain before authorities,” Dey said.

In a shocking development, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) probing the case has revealed that the Principal of La Martiniere School for Boys, admitted to caning Class VIII student Rouvanjit Rawla, who committed suicide on February 12 this year.

Reportedly, Principal Sunirmal Chakravarthy is unrepentant, and even confessed to Kolkata Bishop Ashok Biswas - who heads the Church of North India (CNI) that runs the school.

The NCPCR report found that corporal punishments were in fact a norm at the school, as alleged by Rouvanjit’s parents.

It is expected to submit the report in New Delhi soon.

According to a probe committee member, Ashok Agarwal, the environment at La Martiniere has been extremely unsuitable for children.

Rouvanjit had committed suicide by hanging himself on Febuary 12, 2010.

The class eight student was forced to take this drastic step after months of humiliation, allegedly at the hands of his teachers. (ANI)