Malappuram: Unable to bear the sadness of not being able to attend the online class which began on Monday, a Class X student of Irumbiliyam GHSS, Devika took her life by setting herself ablaze, according to her parents.

Hailing from a poor Scheduled Caste family, living in a very small house at Valancherry in Malappurram, Devika, a very bright student all through her brief academic career, was deeply upset as the TV in her house was not working and the only mobile in their home was not charged.
 
Her parents said that right from Monday morning after she was unable to attend the online classes, she was very gloomy and was all by herself. After her mother found out she was missing from the house, after a search they found the burned body of the daughter about 200 metres from their home, in front of a nearby vacant house.
 
She was the daughter of Thirunilam natives Balakrishnan and Sheeba. Valanchery station officer MK Shaji said that an empty kerosene bottle was found next to the body and that there was nothing suspicious in the death.
 
Devika had talked to her mother after she came to know about the online classes were about to begin in the state. But they could not repair their damaged television. Her mother told her that they would get the television repaired in the coming days. However, Devika was disappointed that she missed the first day of online class. She did not talk to anyone since the morning and by afternoon, she went missing.

Later, her body was found in a burnt state after the family began searching for her.  Her suicide note was also found in the same place where she committed suicide. “I’m leaving” is what she wrote in her suicide letter.

One of Devika’s teacher said that her family struggles financially. They live in a Dalit colony and they suffered a lot during the lockdown period. Her father, who is a daily wage worker, could not go for work due to his medical condition. 

The teachers in her school were planning to start a school-centered arrangements for those students who did not have access to online classes. They said that she committed suicide as she was scared whether her studies would be halted due to the lack of facilities.

Speaking to IANS, local legislator Abid Hussain Thangal said this sad episode could have been avoided had proper arrangements for students who have no access to TV or mobile phones been taken care of.

"We had raised this aspect with the education authorities but do not think, there were any arrangements for those who did not have a TV or a smart phone. She was a very bright student," said Thangal.

The autopsy would be conducted later at the state-run Manjeri Medical College hospital and would be handed to the family to conduct the last rites.