A girl has died from the injuries she inflicted upon herself in protest against her teacher’s accusation that she stole a smartphone.
Thirteen-year-old Vasanthapiriya was accused by her teacher of stealing a smartphone. She was also scolded and punished in front of her schoolmates.
The Malaysian teenager, unable to withstand the emotional distress, had engaged in self harm, which eventually resulted to her death.
Family and friends bade Vasanthapiriya a tearful farewell Friday (today) as more than 500 people gathered to pay their last respects to the girl who attempted to take her life after being accused of stealing a teacher’s iPhone.
Their hopes of seeing the 13-year-old alive were dashed when she died at the Seberang Jaya Hospital at 3.30am Thursday.
A sombre atmosphere descended on the girl’s family home, with hardly a dry eye among the crowd.
Many still could not come to terms with their unexpected loss, more so since the girl died in distress and humiliation after being accused of the crime.
Her parents, Muniandy, 54, and Malaveily, 51, could not hold back their tears and were seen constantly peering at their youngest daughter, who was lying in a white coffin.
Her parents, R. Muniandy, 54, and A. Malaveily, 51, could not hold back their tears and were seen constantly peering at their youngest daughter, who was lying in a white coffin.
Muniandy expressed bitter disappointment that the teacher he held responsible for his daughter’s death had yet to come forward to face the family.
“I tried to contact the teacher, but she tried to avoid us. Worst still, she has gone into hiding.
“Looking back at what my daughter had told the family, all the more we cannot accept her death,” he told newsmen at his home.
He pledged to seek justice for his daughter until the end result satisfies all parties who have been supporting the family since day one.
As the coffin was lowered into the grave at the Hindu cemetery in Jalan Changkat Jong, her parents could not hold back their tears and had to be consoled by other relatives.
And while child rights activists insist that the teacher be prosecuted, the police said they had recorded statement from the teacher and her husband, both of who were said to have accused Vasanthapiriya of stealing her iPhone.
Police Chief Superintendent, Shafee Abd Samad, said the couple were called to have their statements taken following a police report made by the victim’s family.
He said that the couple were however not detained. “We have completed the investigation paper and have submitted it to the deputy public prosecutor for further action,” he said.
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