Thaindian News

Guwahati, Feb 2 (IANS) The Assam government Tuesday ordered a magisterial probe into the suicide-attempt by a schoolgirl who jumped from the second floor of the institution after being rebuked by teachers for speaking in Assamese inside the classroom.
“We have ordered a magisterial probe into the incident and the report would be submitted within 15 days. Action would be initiated after the probe is over,” G. Ramchiary, officiating district magistrate of Kamrup, said.

Class 8 student Nabanita Das of Gurukul Grammar Higher Secondary School, an English medium school in Assam’s main city of Guwahati, Monday attempted suicide by jumping from the second floor of the institution, alleging humiliation and punishment by teachers for speaking in Assamese inside the classroom.

Das is now in the intensive care unit of a city hospital with back and limb injuries, although doctors said she was out of danger.

“She was humiliated beyond limits by the teacher - she was punished and forced to kneel down outside the classroom and then was made to write down in English 1,000 times that she would never speak in Assamese again. Also, she was asked to learn English from Class 1 students and these things made her take the extreme step as she felt utterly humiliated,” Nabanita’s elder brother Gautam said.

On Tuesday, hundreds of activists of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) tried storming the school demanding action against the teachers, but were stopped by police.

“We are holding back our protest until the magisterial probe is over. But if the enquiry is not transparent and fails to convince us, then we shall launch a massive agitation against the school,” AASU leader Bipul Rabha said.