Shimla:
The death of two girls of a British-era convent school in Shimla on Friday became murkier when their parents blamed school authorities. The parents said the girls did not die accidentally, but committed suicide after being "mentally harassed" by their teacher.
Class 6 students Shakshi Thakur and Nancy Thakur from the Convent of Jesus and Mary were found dead near the school on Monday. The police had earlier said that the girls died after a speeding vehicle hit them.
Parents and relatives of the victims Friday reached the school and staged a protest. They said the girls committed suicide after their class teacher allegedly tortured and mentally harassed them.
"That's the only reason they took the extreme step," one of the relatives told reporters.
Agitated relatives ransacked the school and manhandled staff. Some teachers locked themselves inside classrooms along with students to protect themselves.
When the parents and relatives were staging the protest, the school authorities sent SMSes to all the parents to collect their wards immediately as the situation in the school was turning tense.
During the protest, some senior students came out in the support of the victims' parents and raised slogans outside the principal's office.
"The police officials are not fair in their investigation. They are shielding the school management," alleged Rajender Thakur, father of Nancy.
Superintendent of Police Chander Shekhar told IANS that investigations are on. "No case has so far been registered. We are looking into various theories about their death," he said.
The aggrieved parents, however, alleged that they would not be able to get justice unless a case is registered against the class teacher and the school management.