Published Oct 23, 2026 | 6:06 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 23, 2026 | 6:06 PM
Akilan’s parents and relatives continued their sit-in protest at the Coimbatore District Collectorate for a second consecutive day on Friday.
Synopsis: Two Class 11 students were arrested by Tamil Nadu police on Friday in connection with the death by suicide of a 15-year-old Scheduled Caste student in Coimbatore on Wednesday, 21 October, following alleged casteist abuse and harassment at school. The student’s class teacher was arrested on Thursday, while his parents and relatives continued their sit-in protest at the Coimbatore District Collectorate for a second consecutive day, demanding the arrest of the school headmaster.
Tamil Nadu police arrested two Class 11 students on Friday, 23 October in connection with the death by suicide of a 15-year-old Scheduled Caste student in Coimbatore. The student’s family has accused his classmates, class teacher and the school headmaster of casteist abuse and harassment.
Akilan, a Class 11 student at the government-aided KK Naidu Higher Secondary School on Avinashi Road, was found dead at his home in Peelamedu on Wednesday.
Akilan’s mother alleged that two of his classmates, class teacher Vijayakumar and headmaster Arunkumar, were responsible for her son’s death.
The police arrested class teacher Vijayakumar on Thursday. Akilan’s parents and relatives continued their sit-in protest at the Coimbatore District Collectorate for a second consecutive day on Friday, demanding the arrest of the headmaster.
In her police complaint, his mother, Kousalya, named two of his classmates, the class teacher Vijayakumar and headmaster Arunkumar as those responsible for her son’s death. According to the FIR registered at the Peelamedu police station, Vijayakumar asked students in the class who ate beef. When Akilan raised his hand, two classmates allegedly abused him with casteist slurs and assaulted him.
The FIR also states that headmaster Arunkumar failed to act after Akilan’s family complained to him. The family alleges that caste-based discrimination and harassment drove the boy to his death.
The case has been registered under provisions relating to abetment of suicide, voluntarily causing hurt and offences under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The Tamil Nadu State Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes has sought a report from the Coimbatore City Police Commissioner on the student’s death.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
