UPDATED: Oct 23, 2026 08:59 IST
A sixteen-year-old Dalit student in Coimbatore died by suicide on October 21 after allegedly facing relentless harassment over his caste and food habits. The boy, identified as Akhilan, was subjected to targeted bullying by classmates who questioned him about eating beef and cornered him during school hours. The harassment reportedly escalated after students were made to openly identify their Scheduled Caste background in the classroom for a scholarship initiative. The deceased student's family stated that despite lodging complaints with the school headmaster and teachers, no preventive action was taken. Following protests by the victim's family, the Tamil Nadu Police booked four individuals, including two students, a teacher, and the headmaster, under provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The Tamil Nadu State Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes has also taken cognizance of the incident and issued a notice to the Coimbatore Police Commissioner seeking a detailed probe.
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