16-year-old boy commits suicide

A Tenth standard student of a private school near here has allegedly committed suicide by hanging as he could not pay the fine imposed by the institution for breaking some flower-pots, police said today.

Police said the 16-year-old boy and his classmates had been asked to pay Rs.5000 as punishment for breaking some flower-pots recently.

The boy had stayed away from school till Sunday as he belonged to a poor farmer's family and could not afford to pay his share of the fine.

Yesterday, when he went to  school,his class teacher had reportedly asked him to pay the fine.The vexed student went back home and allegedly committed suicide, police said.

School authorities, when contacted, said all other 43 students had paid their share of the fine and said levying fine for breaking school articles was common in any educational institution including government schools.

Puthiya Tamizhgam party activists and relatives of the boy blocked road traffic yesterday demanding action against the school management for levying fine. They dispersed after police assured them that action would be taken.