Education Minister V Sivankutty has mandated a detailed probe into the suicide of Mihir Ahamed, who allegedly endured severe ragging at the hands of his peers in Thrippunithura
Published Feb 02, 2025 | 12:00 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 02, 2025 | 3:07 PM
Mihir Ahmed died by suicide due to alleged bullying by schoolmates.
“The smallest of coffins are always the heaviest,” goes the adage – the weight of grief that a child’s coffin contains is beyond measure. Kerala mourns the tragic loss of Mihir Ahammed, a 15-year-old student from Kochi, who ended his life on 15 January.
Weeks after his passing, the scars he bore from the constant ragging are becoming clearer – the absence of anti-ragging mechanisms in schools, and the quiet struggles of parents, classmates, and teachers are all being reflected upon, in the hope that no other child will ever be subject to such humiliation.
Mihir’s maternal uncle, Muhammed Shareef, said the boy was usually cheerful, and people he met were charmed by him. “Mihir was a happy child,” he said.
“My sister Rajna and her younger daughter Aayath were at the flat that day, when Mihir came home from school around 3 pm, placed his school bag at home, and left again. Aayath followed him outside. He jumped from the fire exit window of the staircase on the 26th floor of the high-rise apartment complex. Aayath cried loudly, and Rajna rushed to the scene, only to discover that her beloved son had taken his life.”
Shareef told South First that Mihir had been deeply upset after being suspended from GEMS Modern Academy for seven days after he reacted angrily to a female student who had provoked him.
“After the suspension, when he returned to school, he was treated like a prisoner, and made to sit alone during the examinations. When he went to the washroom, two guards accompanied him. It was as if he were a criminal.”
Mihir was a passionate basketball player; he was on the school’s basketball team, but later kicked off it. “He acknowledged his error and repeatedly apologised, but the vice-principal would not forgive him,” Shareef explained.
Mihir left GEMS on 30 October 2024, and moved to Global Public School in November, a transition that left him bereft of close friends. The move also exposed him to a fresh round of bullying.
Mihir tried to keep the assaults he faced hidden from his family, even asking his friends not to inform them about the ragging.
After his death, his family discovered chat logs revealing the extent of the bullying he endured. He was repeatedly referred to as “nigga.”
“We only realised after his demise that he had been subject to mental and physical torture. We reported this to the school authorities before filing complaints with the DGP (Director General of Police), the CM (chief minister), and CWC (Child Wlfare Committee),” his uncle Shareef said.
Mihir’s last rites were held in his deeply cherished Wayanad, where he often spent vacations at his grandparents’ house.
GEMS Modern Academy said, in response to the suicide: “We still cherish the memory of Mihir’s performance during the Diwali celebrations on his last day at school, 30 October 2024. His peers and teachers continue to treasure that memory.
When we learned of Mihir’s passing in January 2025, as a mark of respect, we observed a 2-minute silence and prayer for his soul among his peer group. We request parents and well-wishers to be mindful and respectful during this difficult time and refrain from speculation or comments on the matter.”
Rajna has filed a police complaint seeking an impartial investigation into the severe ragging and bullying her son endured at Global Public School.
An FIR has been reportedly registered against Mihir’s classmates, though Rajna and her family are concerned about potential delays in gathering digital evidence, fearing that the accused may erase their tracks.
Global Public School has denied the allegations, stating that the information circulating on social media is baseless, and that appropriate action will be taken if there is evidence of wrongdoing.
Education Minister V. Sivankutty mandated a detailed probe into the suicide of Mihir Ahammed. The minister instructed the Director of Public Instruction to carry out a full investigation into the incident and provide recommendations for appropriate measures.
A teacher from Al-Farookhia Higher Secondary School, Cheranalloor, Kochi told South First that they have evolved a mechanism to manage student disputes.
“In our school, we have a Jagratha Samithi, consisting of teachers, students, and parents. The association holds a mandatory meeting at least once a month to address issues. We also have complaint boxes, but students are more likely to share their grievances with Jagratha Samithi members.”
If an issue cannot be resolved by the class teacher, it escalates to the school head and the parent-teacher association (PTA), the teacher explained.
“For issues outside the school, if a student reports them, we directly inform the police. We handle matters professionally and even offer counseling to students who need it,” she said.
Jigy R, a teacher at Amita High School in Kottayam, told South First, “We don’t have an anti-ragging cell. We have a Mothers’ Association to monitor such issues. It’s shocking to hear about Mihir’s death, which happened in an unaided school.
The way unaided schools handle such issues is very different from how aided schools like ours approach them. We cannot take action against a student on our own. We consult with parents and even Panchayat representatives before taking disciplinary action. If the Assistant Educational Office (AEO) asks for the reason, we must submit detailed minutes of the discussions regarding the issue.”
Vinoy, the former principal of Ekalavya Residential School in Agali, told South First, “In residential schools, we have a strong personal bond with the students, so such issues are rare. They share everything with us. But we do have complaint boxes in schools, and if we receive a complaint, we address it immediately.”
Sreeja, who teaches at a CBSE school in Kochi, said: “We have strict disciplinary action at our school. Usually, the principal can take action after informing the parents, including suspension. Suspensions are common at our school because we need to maintain goodwill.”
Advocate Vimal Kumar AV, a criminologist and Kerala High Court lawyer, explained that ragging is not just a prank among students, but a crime in law.
“It is a criminal offense. The Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1998, defines it as any act causing physical or mental harassment, humiliation, or distress to a student. This includes verbal abuse, forced acts, or any form of intimidation. It applies not just in classrooms but in hostels and campus premises too.”
He explained that victims, parents, or teachers can all report ragging to the head of the institution. Under Section 6(1) of the 1998 law, an investigation must be completed within seven days.
“If proven, the offender is immediately suspended. The case is handed over to the police. If false, the complainant is informed under Section 6(2),” Kumar explained.
Offenders face up to two years in jail and a ₹10,000 fine.
Sections 4 & 5 of the law state that they will also be barred from admission to any educational institution for three years.
“Colleges can’t turn a blind eye to the crime of ragging. Section 7 states that failure to act makes institution authorities liable for up to two years in jail and a ₹10,000 fine,” he said.
He explained that the government issued a circular no. 26/2009 under which every institution must have an Anti-Ragging Committee with police, media, NGOs, parents, and students, along with an Anti-Ragging Squad for surprise inspections.
Unlike in colleges, enforcing strict actions against ragging in schools is challenging since most students are minors.
However, after the Delhi Nirbhaya incident of 2012, the gravity of a crime committed even by a minor is considered significant.
A leading psychologist in Kochi who did not wish to be named said that bullying is aggressive behaviour, as defined in psychology. “It deliberately targets someone. Children are not always innocent; they adapt to social influences, including online trolling. Those who bully often don’t understand the depth of their actions. But we have a choice, to be kind. This must be ingrained in parenting and education.”
She also highlighted the role of what children read or watch, which could influence their behaviour. Apart from the aggression and crime that children are exposed to because of the environment in which they live, there is also the violence that is normalised as they watch Korean dramas, for instance, where bullying and social exclusion are common themes.
“When children repeatedly see such content, they begin to perceive bullying as normal. Childhood traumas significantly shape a person’s future. Bullying is not confined to classrooms, it happens within families too. Unfortunately, we still struggle to treat children as individuals.”
Dr Sany Varghese, President of the Indian Association of Clinical Psychologists, Kerala Region, told South First that unhealed trauma can have a profound impact on children, leading them to develop various survival mechanisms.
She said a child who appears cheerful or active may not necessarily have a healthy mind and added that schools, as secondary communities, play a crucial role in supporting children.
Dr Varghese questioned why Mihir wasn’t provided counselling before being suspended and why he was treated like a culprit. She emphasised that students pay high fees expecting to become civilised and well-rounded citizens, and schools must keep that in mind.
“The responsibility for addressing a child’s well-being lies with all the adults in their life, including both family and school management. Unhealed trauma can resurface, sometimes unexpectedly,” she added.
(If you need support or know someone who has suicidal thoughts, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist or contact the helpline numbers of suicide prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families. Tele-MANAS: 14416; Life Suicide Prevention: 7893078930; Roshni: 9166202000, 9127848584.)
(Edited by Rosamma Thomas)
