Identifying depression in children is extremely difficult, as most cases go unnoticed or unrecognised.
Published Jun 30, 2025 | 8:00 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 30, 2025 | 8:00 AM
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stated that 66 children in the state had died by suicide during the Covid-19 period.
Synopsis: Ashirnanda’s death by suicide points to the necessity to understand adolescents and teenagers, their thoughts, desires, and aspirations. Admitting a child to a top school doesn’t mean s/he doesn’t require parental support.
From the towering glass walls of a metro apartment in Kochi to the quiet, sunlit corridors of a village home in Sreekrishnapuram, Palakkad—the distance between two cries for help was just 159 days.
On 15 January 2025, Mihir Ahmed, a 15-year-old boy, allegedly jumped from the 26th floor of a high-rise apartment in Kochi—his young life ending amid the endless noise and rush of city life. On 23 June, 14-year-old Ashirnanda was found hanging on the second floor of her home in Sreekrishnapuram—a house surrounded by trees, narrow village roads, and loving neighbours who never saw it coming.
Two different worlds. Two different settings. But one heartbreaking thread connects them, the unbearable weight these children carried in their minds, hidden behind wry smiles, schoolbags, and unfinished teenage dreams.
In both cases, outrage erupted. Student organisations hit the streets. Social media raged with blame. Parents, teachers, and authorities pointed fingers at each other. But somewhere beneath the loud protests and swirling blame games lies a quieter, more disturbing truth: What did these children silently endure in the days, weeks, and months leading up to that moment of no return?
Are we still failing to notice the invisible cracks, missing the early whispers of child depression until it’s too late?
When South First first contacted Dr. Jostin Francis, former district president of the Kerala Government Medical Officers Association and psychiatrist at the Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH), Mananthavady, he pointed out that suicidality among children is neither new nor uncommon.
He recalled that during a press meet, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan himself had addressed the issue, stating that 66 children in the state had died by suicide during the Covid-19 period. Following this, the government launched a project called ‘Chiri‘ (Smile), initiated by a special unit of the police in collaboration with mental health experts.
”Initially, the project was very active, but later its activities slowed down,” Dr Francis said. “Such a programme should have been continued effectively.”
He also explained that recognising depression in children is extremely difficult, as most cases go unnoticed or unrecognised. Unlike adults, children are unable to identify or express their symptoms clearly and often don’t seek help. Dr Francis highlighted typical warning signs of childhood depression:
”Identifying depression in children is a therapeutic challenge, as they are in a developmental stage where they cannot openly talk about their mental health struggles,” he added. “We should always assume that a child who died by suicide might have been suffering from depression.”
Dr Francis also pointed to another psychological factor: children and teenagers constantly crave social recognition and appreciation.
”Healthy grading systems are fine, but practices like reclassifying students or changing their seating and divisions based on academic performance can be mentally damaging,” he said. “Such acts may trigger emotional issues, especially in children already struggling with undiagnosed depression.”
He emphasised that each case of suicide can have different triggers, but from his understanding, the recent case “seems like childhood depression with underlying anxiety issues.”
Dr Francis stressed that teachers and parents should be more aware of behavioural changes in children and immediately seek professional help if a child’s academic performance drops.
”Making children overly competitive is unhealthy, and schools should end such practices immediately,” he said. “Every school may have children silently struggling with depression or behavioural problems. Unhealthy academic pressures can push them over the edge.”
“Awareness must be stronger. That’s the first step in preventing such unfortunate incidents,” he added.
Dr Sany Varghese, President of the Indian Association of Clinical Psychologists (Kerala Region), told South First that “ego distancing” is one of the major reasons preventing children from opening up to their parents.
”Couple dynamics and overall family dynamics are important factors. Just because a child is studying in a top school doesn’t mean everything is smooth at home. Parents need to make a conscious effort to be friendly and approachable, while also maintaining healthy boundaries. Both are equally important — children should feel free to communicate, but at the same time, they shouldn’t feel they can take control over their parents.” she said.
South First contacted Ramdas PA, the newly elected PTA president at St. Dominic’s School, Sreekrishnapuram, where Ashirnanda studied.
”On Sunday (29 June), we will present some important suggestions to the school management. First, we will request the school to hold a tribute assembly for the deceased child on Monday and also resume classes the same day. We are not against teachers, but we believe they should foster a more child-friendly atmosphere.”
He further added, ”Various student unions and political parties have now become involved in the issue, but for us, the focus is simple. We want a clear assurance from the school authorities that no child will be subjected to classification or discrimination based on academic performance in the future. We don’t want our children going through this kind of mental trauma again.”
When South First contacted Manoj Kumar, Chairperson of the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, he said that the commission had received several complaints from locals and parents against St. Dominic School, many of which contained serious allegations of both mental and physical harassment of students.
”This is not an isolated case. Mihir’s suicide had already raised concerns about school-related stress, and in Ashir Nanda’s case, too, there were serious lapses on the part of the school authorities,” Manoj Kumar told South First.
He said the commission would take a broader look into these issues, with plans to form support committees involving Kudumbashree and the local panchayat to help children facing stress both at school and at home.
On Friday, both Manoj Kumar and commission member KK Shaju visited the bereaved family and the school.
Speaking to the media later, Manoj Kumar said, ”We are treating this case with the utmost seriousness and have already directed the police to take swift and uncompromising action.”
He added that the commission has sought detailed reports from the police, the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), and the school management.
”There will be no leniency in the investigation,” he said.
In a key intervention, the commission has also ordered immediate counselling support for the student’s classmates and those who took the same school bus.
”The school must conduct special counselling sessions to address the trauma faced by students following this tragedy. Additionally, the District Child Protection Unit will start their sessions from Monday,” Manoj Kumar told South First.
He further added that the commission will conduct a two-day professional workshop for all school counsellors in the state in the second week of July, focusing on student mental health and stress management.
”Schools must focus not just on academics but also on safeguarding the emotional well-being and rights of every student under their care,” he said.
According to the official Chiri website, the Kerala Police has launched a CAP (Children & Police) House in Thiruvananthapuram as a centralized support system for children, integrating various initiatives like the Student Police Cadet (SPC) project, Our Responsibility to Children (ORC), School Protection Groups, Child-Friendly Police Stations, the Hope project, and the Chiri helpline (9497900200).
The Chiri helpline was introduced as part of the state’s Mental support efforts for children, aiming to provide immediate emotional support to those in distress.
However, when South First contacted the helpline, the phone rang four times without an answer, and it was only after repeated attempts that the helpline returned the call. Given that this helpline is specifically meant for urgent suicide prevention and mental health support for children, the lack of instant response raises concerns about accessibility during emergencies.
Under the CAP Desk initiative, trained student volunteers from each police district provide peer-based telephonic support, reaching out to children facing emotional crises. According to Chiri, more than 4,700 children have received support through the programme so far.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
(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. Toll-free helpline number: 1056; Tele-MANAS: 14416; Life Suicide Prevention: 7893078930; Arogya Vani: 104; Sahay Helpline: 080-25497777; Roshni: 9166202000, 9127848584.)
