With no computer or smartphone, 16-year-old student commits suicide after failing to attend online classes

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Mirror Now Digital

Updated Jun 20, 2020 | 11:45 IST

The 16-year-old Class 10 student was concerned about her academic performance after she failed to attend online classes due to unavailability of a computer or a mobile phone.

The victim studied in an English medium school in the Bally area. | Photo Credit: ANI

Key Highlights

The incident took place in Nischinda area of Howrah district of West Bengal on Thursday.

After the lockdown in view of coronavirus pandemic, most of the schools across the country have started online classes.

Howrah: In a tragic incident, 16-year-old class 10 student allegedly committed suicide after she failed to attend online classes in the absence of a computer or a smartphone.

The incident took place in Nischinda area of Howrah district of West Bengal on Thursday.

According to a report in Times of India, the victim has been identified as Shabini Kumari Sau, who was found hanging in her room. No suicide note was found from the victim's room.

The victim studied in an English medium school in the Bally area. After the lockdown in view of coronavirus pandemic, most of the schools across the country have started online classes.

"Shibani was my youngest child. Before the announcement of the lockdown on March 25, My wife, the eldest son, and I went to our hometown in Bihar's Samastipur. Shibani and my other son stayed back in Nischinda. The two siblings shared a smartphone which accidentally got damaged after it fell from her brother's hand on March 26 when the lockdown was underway. The phone could not be repaired due to a total shutdown. Even the phone repairing shops could not be opened during the unlocking," said Shibani's father Santu Sau, who works as a bus driver.

"My daughter was fearful that she may fail in exams as she could not attend the online classes. She was feeling very depressed. She called on me from another phone (basic) and told me about her concerns. I assured her that I would come back to Nischinda and would buy her a smartphone. I told her not to be upset and arrange the class notes form her other classmates," Sau further added.