Two days after a 16-year-old student of St Columba's School in Delhi died by suicide by jumping from the platform of an elevated Metro station, school authorities have suspended the headmaster and three teachers who were named in the First Information Report filed by the teenager's father.
The parents of Shourya Patil, who died by suicide on Tuesday and left behind a note blaming his teachers, said they will hold a protest outside school on Friday. They alleged that the headmaster and three teachers were not told to resign and that the school may take them back once the situation gets normal.
In his suicide note, Shourya wrote, "Sorry mummy, aapka itni bar dil toda, ab last bar todunga. School ki teachers ab hai hi aise, kya bolu (Sorry mummy, I broke your heart many times and I am doing it for the last time. This is how the teachers in the school are, what do I say?)".
In the FIR filed on Wednesday, the boy's father, Pradeep Patil, named the school's headmaster for classes 5 to 10, Aparajita Pal, and teachers Julie Varghese, Manu Kalra and Yukti Aggarwal Mahajan, and accused them of mentally harassing his son.In the identical letters, the school's principal, Robert Fernandes, said the suspension would remain in effect until further notice. The principal asked the headmaster and the teachers to remain available for any investigation and said they cannot visit the school or speak to students, staff or parents without permission.
"This is to inform you that the school has been made aware of an FIR registered against you, bearing No. 336A Tis Hazari Court, dated 19th November 2025... In view of the seriousness of the allegations, the competent authority has decided to place you under suspension with immediate effect," the principal wrote.
"You shall remain under suspension till the completion of the investigation and further orders from the competent authority. During the period of suspension, you are required to remain available for any official communication or inquiry, and you must not visit the school premises or interact with students, staff, or parents without prior written permission from the administration," he added.
