Kolkata: Did Rouvan Rawla, a 12-year-old student, kill himself because he was beaten and humiliated by his teachers? Rouvan was found hanging at his home on February 12. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) is investigating Rouvan's school: La Martiniere Boys' School, one of the city's most famous educational institutions.
In an interview to NDTV, the school's principal, Sunirmal Chakravarthi admits that he caned Rouvan four days before the child killed himself. However, he says that linking the suicide to his corporal punishment is "stretching it."
The NCPCR disagrees. "He has no right to continue in the school after such a finding - because he is there to administer rules and regulation. If he himself is breaching that, then who will protect the other people?" asks Ashok Aggarwal, who is a part of the NCPCR team looking into Rouvan's case.
Agarwal is vehement about the school's role in Rouvan's death. "We have in fact come across the evidence... that clearly points out that during the last two periods, which takes about 80 minutes, as one period is of 40 minutes.... it seems that this boy was tortured , humiliated and harassed. Not only harassed, but even one teacher scuffled with him and tried to catch his hand... and his back was twisted by him... and then the boy said, 'Don't touch me sir, I am upset.' Then, forcibly, his diary was taken and written that his parents should come on 15th of February. I think the high degree of humiliation administered with him continuously during those 80 minutes... I think that the possibility that it led to committing suicide... and I think the nexus between this corporal punishment and suicide cannot be ruled out."