Punjab: Class 12 student dies after theft allegations, family protests outside Jalandhar school; teacher booked
The deceased, identified as Khushpreet, had reportedly visited the school to collect her roll number when the incident occurred
PTC Web Desk: A 19-year-old Class 12 student allegedly died by suicide following accusations of theft at a senior secondary school in Nurpur area of Jalandhar, triggering protests by her family members who have alleged foul play and assault by a teacher.
The deceased, identified as Khushpreet, had reportedly visited the school to collect her roll number when the incident occurred. According to family members, a teacher allegedly asked the student to hold her purse and later accused her of stealing money from it.
Relatives alleged that the teacher took the student into a room, physically assaulted her and confined her there for nearly one-and-a-half hours. They claimed that the teenager was killed and insisted that it was not a case of suicide.
Following the incident, the family staged a protest inside the school premises, demanding strict action and justice. They raised slogans and sought immediate arrest of the accused teacher.
Kulwinder Kaur, a relative of the deceased, told reporters that Khushpreet had come to school only to collect her roll number when she was accused of theft. “She was taken inside a room and beaten mercilessly,” the family alleged.
The girl’s father, Jarnail Singh, also rejected the suicide theory. He claimed that he received multiple phone calls from a number belonging to a teacher named Shivani. In one of the calls, his daughter reportedly said that she was being accused of theft. Shortly afterward, another call allegedly informed him that a different student had been identified as the culprit.
About 15 minutes later, the family received another call stating that the actual student who had stolen money from the teacher’s purse had been caught. Sensing something was wrong, Jarnail Singh rushed to the school along with a few residents from his locality, where he said he found his daughter dead.
Meanwhile, police officials confirmed that a case has been registered based on the family’s statements. Angrej Singh from Maksuda police station said the police have initiated an investigation. According to preliminary findings, there was an issue related to money, after which the student allegedly spoke to her family over the phone and later ended her life.
The police have registered a case against a teacher identified as Paramjit Kaur and have begun further investigation to ascertain the exact sequence of events.
Authorities said post-mortem and forensic examinations are being conducted, and all angles, including allegations made by the family, are being probed.