The Peelamedu police booked cases against four individuals after a government-aided school student died by suicide on Friday at his residence, following an alleged caste-based harassment.
The incident occurred on 21 October. The deceased boy's mother in a complaint filed with the police claimed that the harassment escalated about two months ago and was regarding his choice of eating beef.
The victim was studying in class XI.
Police said a class teacher asked the students to disclose their caste background to select Scheduled Caste students for a scholarship programme. Also, he enquired about the children's food choices seeking to know if they consumed beef. Thereafter, the boy, aged 16, and a few others admitted that they were SC and that they ate beef.
However, this disclosure led to bullying of the particular boy, isolation and taunts by his classmates a few days later, police said.
In her complaint the boy's mother said that her son complained about the repeated taunts to the class teacher and school principal but no action was taken. The mental distress made him commit suicide by hanging, she alleged in the complaint.
The four individuals charged include the principal, class teacher and two of the victim's classmates under BNS for abetment of suicide and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and arrested the class teacher.
The Tamil Nadu State Commission for Adi Dravidar and Tribal Communities has sought a report from Coimbatore City Police commissioner on the death and also asked for details on the action taken against those responsible for the incident.