HC notice to state over death of 2 schoolgirls

Legal Correspondent

Shimla, April 17

The HP High Court has issued notice to the state over the mysterious death of two girl students of a local convent school.

The court passed this order on a petition filed by the parents of the deceased girls alleging that the local police had failed to investigate the matter in a proper manner as they had not investigated the matter with respect to the requirement of Section 306 of the IPC (abetment to suicide), though the police had sufficient material to conclude that the school authorities and a teacher of the school had intentionally aided the death of girls by overt act and illegal omissions.

The petitioners further alleged that their daughters breathed their last on September 24, 2012. At that time both were 11 years old and were studying in Class VI. On September 24, 2012, both (in school uniform) were found seriously injured at “Kala Dhank” on the road between Nav Bahar Chowk and Sanjauli.

It was further alleged that their daughters were harassed and humiliated by the school authorities, but the police did not investigate the matter on this line. They alleged the police, without carrying out any investigation, arrived at a hypothetical conclusion that the girls had suffered injuries as a result of an accidental fall from a cliff. The petitioners urged the court to hand over the investigation of this case to the CBI.

The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Dharam Chand Chaudhary further directed the state to file its reply within four weeks and listed the matter on June 29.