Coimbatore student ends life; family alleges harassment by teacher, classmates over caste, beef consumption

A Class 11 student at a government-aided school in Coimbatore, who belongs to a Scheduled Caste community, ended his life on Wednesday (October 21, 2026) following alleged harassment by a few classmates and a teacher over his caste and eating habits.

The student A. Akilan’s mother alleged that the teacher Vijayakumar made five students, including her son, who consume beef, stand up in the classroom two months ago.

The Peelamedu police booked two students, Vijayakumar, and the school’s principal Arunkumar late on Wednesday on charges of abetting suicide and other offences. Vijayakumar was arrested on Thursday (October 22).

The police said 16-year-old Akilan had left home at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, informing his mother, A. Kowsalyadevi, that he was going to school. The woman, who works as a domestic worker at Bharathi Colony, returned home around 1 p.m. to have lunch and found the front door unlocked. She checked inside and found her son dead.

On being informed, the Peelamedu police shifted the body for a postmortem examination.

‘Harassed for eating beef’

The student’s mother, in her complaint, alleged that Vijayakumar had enquired about students belonging to Scheduled Caste communities in the classroom two months ago to enlist them for a stipend. Akilan had enrolled himself for the same. The woman alleged that the teacher had also asked the class how many students consumed beef, and Akilan and four others stood up. She stated in the complaint that two classmates had been harassing and assaulting Akilan over his caste since then.

Though Akilan had reported the harassment by his classmates to Vijayakumar, he did not take any action. The complainant alleged that the school’s principal Arunkumar also failed to take appropriate action when her son complained to him. According to the woman, she abandoned her plan to question the school authorities over these incidents as Akilan feared he would be alienated and targeted further. Her husband, Ashok Kumar, works at a resort in Keralam.

The police registered a case against two students, the teacher, and the principal for offences under Sections 115 (2) and 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 3(2)(v) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Further investigation is under way. 

(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416. and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050).