Coimbatore student death: two classmates arrested for caste-based harassment; headmaster, teacher suspended

Two days after a Class XI student belonging to a Scheduled Caste community ended his life in Coimbatore over alleged caste-based harassment in his government-aided school, the police on Friday (October 23, 2026) arrested two of his classmates belonging to different dominant castes.

The two students were produced before the Juvenile Justice Board and later lodged in an observation home for juveniles at Papanaickenpalayam in the city.

A senior police officer said the students were arrested on Friday after investigations revealed they had subjected the deceased A. Akilan (16) to caste-based harassment. Women police personnel collected statements from Akilan’s classmates and the teaching staff. Further investigation was under way into the allegations levelled by the mother of the deceased student against a teacher, P. Vijayakumar, and the headmaster, Arunkumar S.

The mother had accused the teacher of having harassed her son over his eating habits. As per the First Information Report (FIR) in the case, she alleged the teacher made her son and four others, who consume beef, stand up in the classroom two months ago. The two arrested students had been harassing and torturing him since then and the school’s headmaster did not take any action against them, she had alleged.

The officer said Akilan did not leave any note and the police team was investigating all the allegations raised by his parents against the two classmates, the teacher, and the headmaster.

Meanwhile, Akilan’s parents, relatives and members of the DMK, CPI (M), May 17 Movement, Samooga Neethi Katchi, and other organisations gathered at the Coimbatore Collectorate premises, demanding the arrest of all persons, who were accused of having harassed the student and abetted his suicide. They met District Collector Pavankumar G. Giriyappanavar and submitted a petition.

Headmaster, teacher suspended

Meanwhile, the secretary of the government-aided school placed the headmaster and the teacher under suspension on Thursday (October 22). The school management took the disciplinary action after learning about alleged use of caste-related remarks at the workplace. The two persons were placed under suspension to facilitate a fair and impartial inquiry, the orders stated.

 (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.)