Madras HC orders CBI probe into TN girl's suicide case

Chennai, Jan 31 The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court has ordered a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged suicide of a class 12 girl student at a Christian missionary school in Thanjavur district.

The girl had allegedly committed suicide on January 19.

Justice G.R. Swaminathan ordered the probe following a petition filed by the father of the girl who alleged that the Christian missionary school in Thanjavur had forced her daughter to do household chores after she refused to convert to Christianity.

The girl's father alleged that after she completed her class 10 from the school, the school had tried to compel him and his wife to agree to convert their daughter to Christianity.

The victim's father said that both he and his wife had refused and this led to the hostel warden forcing his daughter to do household chores in the hostel, including washing clothes and other utensils.

The girl's father said that she was forced to clean the school campus and was not even allowed to visit her house during holidays.

The victim's father in his petition requested for a CBI probe into the matter as the physical and mental torture inflicted by the school authorities had led to the suicide of his daughter.

He told the court that a CBI probe would bring to light the conditions that led to the suicide of his daughter, including how the school authorities were forcing children from poor sections of society to convert to Christianity.

Justice G.R. Swaminathan in his order said that it was not fair for the state investigating agencies to conduct an inquiry into the death of the girl and ordered a CBI probe into the matter.

Tamil Nadu BJP President, K. Annamalai had alleged that the school was indulging in forced religious conversions and that the girl died because she was forced to convert. Hindu Munnani and the RSS had also demanded a CBI probe into the matter.

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