12-Year-Old Girl Allegedly Kills Self After Parents Read 'Improper' Text Messages Exchanged With Her Teacher

A private school teacher has been booked in connection with the death of his 12-year-old student who reportedly killed herself after the girl’s parents confronted her over the ‘improper’ messages exchanged between the two.

The 29-year-old teacher, identified as Usman, a resident of Kerala, India, had sent inappropriate messages to the minor girl, a class eight student studying in the same school, authorities said.

A senior police officer told PTI that the girl’s parents had learned about the chat messages exchanged by the duo and warned her against it.

The child’s father had also reported the incident to the school authorities who in turn took up the matter with Usman, the official said.

"The messages were improper for a teacher to send to a 12-year-old student. The girl was suspected to have ended the life out of mental tension as her parents read the chat messages," the officer said, Onmanorama reported.

The girl’s father told the local media that his daughter had ended her life following the mental harassment by the teacher.

However, the authorities added that all these were assumptions and they could arrive at a conclusion only after a detailed investigation.

Meanwhile, Usman was booked under Section 12 of the POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) and Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act.

However, no arrests have been reported yet.

Usman is believed to be absconding, police said, adding a manhunt has been initiated to nab the suspect.

The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights had also registered a suo motu case against the accused. The commission has sought a report from the Kasaragod district police chief, Bekal Deputy Superintendent of Police, Melparamba Station House Officer, and district child protection officer before Oct. 4.

In a similar incident, a 44-year-old former primary school teacher from Yorkshire, England has been sentenced to 12 years after pleading guilty to 15 charges that included sexual activity with a child.

Douglas Speight reportedly secretly filmed sex acts between him and a teenage boy. Aside from that, "Duggie" was also accused of recording other young boys while they were changing at swimming baths.