Tamil Nadu: 17-year-old girl dies by suicide, family alleges attempts to convert her

A 17-year-old girl died by suicide in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur district on Wednesday after alleging that she was abused by her hostel warden, NDTV reported.

The girl reportedly drank poison on January 9, and died 10 days later.

An unverified video being shared on social media shows the girl claiming that she may have been harassed as her family refused to convert to Christianity. The girl also claimed that she was forced to clean the hostel and carry out administrative work, according to NDTV.

The girl’s father has also alleged that she was tortured as she had refused to convert to Christianity, The News Minute reported. “When she attempted suicide, the school did not inform us,” he said. “The hospital informed us, even the police did not help.”

Thanjavur Superintendent of Police Ravali Priya Gandhapuneni said that the police are looking into all angles, including the claims of forced conversion. She, however, said that there was no mention of an attempt to convert in the initial complaint and the girl’s dying declaration.

Gandhapuneni said that the video recording was given to the police on January 20, a day after the girl died. “And we don’t know when this was taken, whether this was taken before or after the magistrate recorded the statement,” she said. “We have asked the parents to respond. Once we have clarity, we will investigate that angle too.”

The official said that the police will need to assess whether the video complies with provisions of the Evidence Act, and whether any leading questions were asked. The police are looking for the person who shot the video.

Commenting on the case, Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party chief K Annamalai said that the state police was “losing all its hard earned reputation by its irresponsible statements”.

“When there is a clear video testimony by the girl of forced conversion, the local police is hell bent on changing the course of the case...” he claimed.

Meanwhile, the police have arrested the hostel warden based on a complaint by the father of the girl, Deccan Herald reported on Thursday. A case has been filed against the warden under sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Juvenile Justice Act.