Class 12 student found burnt to death in east Delhi school; breakup suspected, suicide note recovered

Police are probing a suspected breakup as a possible reason behind the death of a 17-year-old Class 12 student who was found burnt on her school premises in east Delhi’s Krishna Nagar on Saturday, with investigators recovering a three-page purported suicide note from her school bag, officials said.

The student, who studied at a government school, is suspected to have brought petrol from home in her bag and set herself on fire on the school premises, police sources said.

Investigators are examining whether the end of a relationship prompted her to take the extreme step. They are also probing the family’s allegation that she could have been the victim of a conspiracy.

The girl was found in a severely burnt condition behind the guard room on the school premises. She was taken to Dr Hedgewar Hospital, where doctors declared her dead, police said.

According to police sources, the three-page note recovered from her bag contained references to her family and a friend. In one of the pages, she had purportedly apologised to her family, while another reportedly mentioned that a friend should not be harassed. Police were examining the contents of the note and declined to disclose further details.

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The family, however, has expressed disbelief over the possibility of suicide, alleging that the girl could have been the victim of a conspiracy.

The incident came to light after police received a call at 11.58 am regarding a student being burnt, following which a team from Krishna Nagar police station rushed to the school, Shahdara Deputy Commissioner of Police R P Meena said.

The police team found the girl almost completely burnt near the guard room. A CATS ambulance also reached the spot, and the doctor accompanying it declared her dead. She was subsequently taken to the hospital, where her death was confirmed, officials said.

The crime team and the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team inspected the spot and collected evidence. Investigators were also examining a bottle found near the body and verifying how the flammable substance was brought to the school and used.

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Police are examining CCTV footage from the school and questioning staff members, teachers and students to establish what happened before the incident. Investigators are also speaking to the girl’s family and friends to ascertain whether she was facing personal or family-related difficulties, was being harassed by anyone or was involved in a relationship that could have contributed to the incident.

Officials said all possible angles, including the possibility of foul play, were being examined. The area Sub-Divisional Magistrate also visited the school as part of the proceedings.

According to the DCP, the girl was around 17 years old and lived with her family in a rented house in the Ghondli area of Krishna Nagar. Her family comprises her parents, three brothers, a sister and a sister-in-law.

Her elder sister had dropped her at the school around 7 am on Saturday. When the student did not return home by around 1 pm, her sister-in-law went to the school to look for her. She was called inside the premises and informed about the incident, following which other family members also reached the school.

The student’s sister had earlier said that the family received a call about the incident around 12.40 pm.

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“I had come to drop her at the school and she was looking normal. I don’t know what happened when she took this step,” she said, adding that the girl’s face was severely burnt.

The student’s sister-in-law said she had not been informed about the incident and had gone to the school searching for the girl.

“No one informed me about the incident. I came to the school searching for her,” she said.

Meanwhile, Krishna Nagar MLA Anil Goyal and Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood visited the school after learning about the incident and took stock of the situation.

Sood said the police were investigating the matter seriously and that further action would be taken based on the findings.

The body has been sent to the mortuary for a post-mortem examination, police said, adding that further investigation was underway.