Here is the story, reproduced from Humans of Bombay. It breaks my heart so bad. The helplessness you feel when you realise that your child can go to a private or govt college and be shamed, bullied, killed even.
TW: Suicide
“Aditya was just 19; our only child. He was the kindest soul we knew. He was great in studies; his teachers always saved his notes. On some days, he wanted to become an athlete & on some, a pilot. But then, he opted for Computer Science in PES University. He was confused if he should get a job or move to the US for Masters. I used to say, ‘Do what your heart says, I’ll always be there.’
Last month, he appeared for his 2nd semester. He was excited for his vacation after; we’d just bought a new TV. He’d made a watchlist of movies. Everyday before his exam, he’d read the Gita & light a diya. But on 17th July, it all changed.
He left the house for his exam. I went to the office & my wife got busy with chores. Around 11:45, she got a call from Aditya saying, ‘Mom, I’d forgotten to put my phone in the bag during the exam. I swear I wasn't copying.' He said they yelled at him that it’s better to die than to copy. He asked her to come as the teachers had summoned her. She was made to wait for an hour. His phone was off. Someone mocked her saying, ‘You’re the malpractice mom? Your malpractice son was cheating.’ She was then shooed off saying, ‘He must be out with his friends!’ After pleading a lot, she was told, ‘A kid has jumped off from the 8th floor, identify him!’
She called me, ‘Aditya is dead.’ An hour later, when I saw Aditya, I broke down.
We filed an FIR. We kept thinking of that time when in school, we used to hear news about kids committing suicide. So we'd often talk to Aditya. He said, ‘Are you mad? I'll never kill myself!’ We didn't know that years later, we’d be sitting in the police station, for him.
We saw the CCTV footage. He was taken into a room that had no CCTV by 4 staff members. We've no idea what happened there. Even after 40 days, no one is arrested.
Channels were running headlines, ‘Boy caught copying, jumped off the building.’ It wasn't true; we had to put out our side of the story. Our state government has appointed a committee to investigate. We need more policies across schools & colleges. What happened wasn’t new, but Aditya needs to be the last 1 to have suffered. And to ensure that, we’ll fight till our last breath."
This was not a suicide. This was a murder.
The staff at PES University murdered this bright, brilliant child.
As a parent, whichever college we pick up, a child has died, a child has been bullied, a child has been put in danger. Don't call them suicides. No 17-year-old wants to die. They are made to believe that they have no future. We, the generation that has failed Mother Earth herself, have the audacity to tell a child that he has no future. We, the generation of corrupt citizens who sell their votes for freebies, have the audacity to tell a child that he lacks integrity.
I have no idea what those 4 sick people said to that child inside that room, but I wish them fair justice.
This is the PES University: https://pes.edu/about-us/
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