Tamil Nadu schoolgirl dies by suicide; alleges attempted forced conversion in video 'confession'

The video statement of the girl before her death shows that the student was forced by the warden to convert, state BJP chief said

A 17-year-old student in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur district has died, exactly 10 days after she attempted suicide by consuming pesticide. In a video that is said to have recorded before her death, the girl said she was being “tortured” by her hostel warden ever since she shunned a proposal to “convert” to Christianity two years ago.

However, Thanjavur district police said no complaint of “forced conversion” was received.

“We are investigating as to when and how the video was shot. In the first round of investigation, we have not received any complaint of forced conversion. We have already filed a case and we are looking into the complaint filed by her parents,” Thanjavur District Superintendent of Police (SP) C. Ravali Priya Gandhapuneni said.

She also warned of action against persons who revealed the identity of the minor girl on social media. Police said hostel warden Sagayamari (62) was arrested on a complaint filed by the father of the girl and she has been booked under various sections of the IPC and JJ Act.

The girl, who succumbed to her injuries at the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital Wednesday night, had recorded her “confession” which has gone viral on social media. In the video clip, the girl said her hostel warden began “torturing her” by asking her to clean all rooms and do other chores.

“She asked my parents two years back whether I can convert to Christianity and that she will take care of my educational expenses. Since then, she made me do all the work,” the girl said in the video. The girl was staying at St Michael’s Girl’s Home in Thanjavur and hailed from nearby Ariyalur district.

The girl’s father Muruganandam said the school management informed him on January 10 that his daughter was admitted to a hospital after she vomited and complained of severe stomach pain.

The girl’s suicide also attained political colour with Tamil Nadu BJP demanding action against “forced conversion” in the state. In a statement, state BJP chief K Annamalai raked up the incident and alleged that the FIR does not refer to the girl’s statement on attempts of “forced conversion.”

“The video statement of the girl before her death shows that the student was forced by the warden to convert. The government should order an unbiased probe into the incident and bring the accused before the law. The government should implement anti-conversion law,” the BJP chief added.

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