Amit studied in class 8 of the residential Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Churhat in the Sidhi district. He left a note accusing his teacher Ajit Pandey of harassing him and abusing his parents.
Photo altered by Chetan Bhakuni/The Quint
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"His teacher Ajit Pandey abused him and hurled casteist slurs at him. He said that you belong to the Kumhar community, SC community, you have no right to study," said Alha Prajapati, father of the 14-year-old Dalit boy Amit Prajapati, who died by suicide on the night of Sunday, 1 January in Madhya Pradesh's Sidhi district.
The incident happened in Padkhuri area under Rampur Naikin police station limits of the Sidhi district.
Amit had scored 98 percent marks in his entrance exams to the Navodaya Vidyalaya in 2020 and he was also good in sports, his parents said.
Amit and his team had recently won Basketball tournament held in Katni district. His parents say he was very talented.
Alha Prajapati, who works in a brick kiln in the Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh, alleged that Ajit Pandey was constantly harassing his child and pushed him to death.
Amit's father Alha Prajapati accused the teacher Ajit Pandey of of harassing Amit and pushing him to death.
Amit, who was the youngest of the three sons of Alha Prajapati and his wife Rukmani Prajapati, was home since that day.
The accused teacher, Ajit Pandey, while talking to media on 2 January, said that they had been getting complaints of Amit being involved in theft. He further claimed that Amit was sent home because he had complained of not feeling well.
Ajit Pandey, however could not be reached even after multiple attempts by The Quint. This copy will be updated as and when he responds.
"Then he also said that (I) should die after consuming poison or hang myself," the note further read.
The note at the end said 'Sorry Papa' and was signed under the name of Amit Prajapati dated 31/12/22.
Following the incident, the police registered a first information report under the IPC section 305 (abetment of suicide of child) and relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Talking to The Quint, Sudhanshu Tiwari, incharge of Rampur Naikin police station said:
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