Guwahati Student Suicide Case: Accused Principal Gets 'Pre- Arrest' Bail

Guwahati: Guwahati High Court has granted anticipatory bail to Jonali Das, the principal of a city-based high school over the case, where she was alleged of verbally abusing a girl of class 8, which led the girl to take her life by jumping from the fifth floor of the school.

The last Friday, the girl attempted suicide and was declared dead on Sunday i.e. on December 26.

The family members of the victim girl filed a complaint at Dispur police station against Jolani Das and alleged that the girl was mentally tortured and harassed by her which led her to attempt suicide.

The police raised objections against the bail on Tuesday as they informed that during the investigation, it was revealed that the girl was in a relationship with Rishikesh Das, who is the niece of the accused principal Das.

As per police information, the victim was called to the Principal office during school hours, where she got questioned about the love relationship with Rishikesh Das. The Principal then insulted her in front of the guardian of Rishikesh which resulted in the mental depression of the girl leading her to attempt suicide.

The court, however, paid attention to the suicide note which the girl wrote before attempting suicide and was of the view that the note does not give any proof or doesn't point out any situation that shows that the girl attempted suicide because of the principal.

The court also observed that the suicide note only discloses the emotional breakdown due to the breakup with boyfriend Rishikesh Das. Such observation of the case is a prima-facie view subject to what material is provided in the case diary. On 10 January 2022, the High Court called for the case diary.

Though bail has been granted to the accused principal the court made certain restrictions as she is not allowed to leave the territorial jurisdiction of the Dispur police station without taking prior written permission from the OC. The Court also asked Das to cooperate with the police and other officials in the case-related matters and ordered of deposing her statement within a week.

Meanwhile, the members of the Deuri students group led out a protest in the Ganesh Mandir area of Dispur opposing the bail granted to the accused principal.

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