Girl commits suicide after being refused toilet facilities

Dumka (Jharkhand), July 4

A 17-year-old girl is suspected to have committed suicide after her parents refused to heed to entreaties to have a toilet constructed at home Gosala road Shashtri Nagar home in Dumka, Jharkhand, police said on Saturday.

Khoobu Kumari hanged herself at her while her father, a truck driver, had been away at Pakur and her mother was in a nearby field.

Quoting family members, Dumka Superintendent of Police Vipul Shukla said here that the body of Kumari, a student studying BA part, was found hanging from the ceiling on Friday.

Her mother Sanju Devi said Kumari wanted that a toilet be constructed before she got married but he parents could not afford to do both construct a toilet and marry her off , Shukla said.

"A case of unnatural death has been registered," he said.

The incident assumes particular significance as it comes while the government is constructing toilets for women under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

In an official statement issued today, Dumka Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rahul Kumar Sinha said the incident was "extremely hurtful" and ordered a probe into the incident.

"According to reports, a quarrel had ensued between the girl and her mother," the statement quoting the DC said.

The DC also ordered officials to conduct a survey in the town and villages adjoining it to identify houses having no toilets and submit a report.

He also ordered construction of toilets under "Nirmal Gram" scheme by carrying out a campaign in one or two months and ensure every house in the district had a toilet, the statement said. PTI