A 16-year-old Dalit student was found dead at his home near Peelamedu in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, after returning to school following the Puja holidays. His family has alleged that he faced caste-based discrimination at his government-aided school, including an alleged remark by a teacher about eating beef.
The student, A. Akilan, was studying in Class XI. His death has prompted police to investigate allegations against the school’s headmaster, a teacher and two fellow students.
Akilan’s mother, Kowsalya, alleged that his classmates had stopped speaking to him after learning that he belonged to a Scheduled Caste community. She also alleged that a teacher questioned him about eating beef, raising concerns about the caste-based treatment he may have faced at school.
The family has accused the school authorities of failing to address the alleged discrimination despite concerns being raised. According to reports, the parents had approached the school over the issue but had not filed a police complaint before Akilan’s death.
The alleged beef-related remark has added to the family’s concerns that Akilan may have been targeted because of his caste identity. However, the allegations are yet to be established through the police investigation.
Police Book Four People Under SC/ST Act
Police have registered a case against four people, including the school’s headmaster, the teacher and two students. The case includes provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
A senior police officer said the investigation would examine the role of the school authorities and others allegedly involved.
“We are investigating the role of the school, the principal, class teacher and any others. We have filed a case under the SC/ST Act,” the officer said.
Asked whether arrests would be made, the officer said, “If required, we will.”
The investigation is expected to examine the family’s allegations of caste discrimination, including the reported beef-related question, and whether the school took appropriate action after the parents raised their concerns.
Concerns Over Caste Discrimination in Schools
Akilan’s death has once again drawn attention to allegations of caste-based discrimination faced by Dalit students in educational institutions.
In a separate case reported last year, a private school principal was accused of making a menstruating Dalit student sit on the stairs while writing examinations. The incident had raised concerns about the treatment of students from marginalised communities in schools.
In Akilan’s case, the family’s allegations have placed the school’s handling of caste-related complaints under scrutiny. The police investigation will need to establish what happened before his death and whether any individuals or school authorities were responsible for the alleged harassment.
