A teacher was acquitted of the charges of abetment of suicide in a case where a student took his life after he was punished by the teacher and the trustee of the school.

Justice Divyesh Joshi of the Gujarat High Court stated that a punishment for the benefit of the student cannot be counted as the grounds for the abetment of suicide.

On Jan 22, 2016, a student, studying in Class 12 (Science) in Surat's Samarpan School, jumped off from the 11th floor of an apartment, which led to the mother of the deceased filing a complaint at Poona police station in Surat against the teacher and the trustee of the school.

According to the complaint, the deceased had complained to the trustee of the school about the newly hired teaching staff, which was inferior to the previous staff, according to the students.

The conversation between the students was heard by Chandresh, a teacher, who scolded them about the complaint and slapped the student. He also threatened the other children with beating, states the complaint.

On Jan 21, the deceased was slapped once again by the teacher for 'spoiling the atmosphere' of the class. After this, the enraged student abused the teacher over the call.

Over this, the trustee punished the deceased to sit on the fourth floor of the school for over two hours and asked him to bring his parents the next day.

The petitioners argued that the elements of the incitement of suicide are not present in the case, and it is all based on hearsay. The petitioners had no intent of inducing the student to commit suicide, said the petition.

Accepting the arguments, the high court dismissed the case complaint, stating that the court sympathises with the family, but an innocent cannot be punished.

Also read:

Panipuri vendor’s son denied MBBS admission over cancelled caste certificate by Guj HC