Kerala: 17-year-old student found dead with burns in Palakkad

Gopika, a 17-year-old student in Palakkad, was found dead with severe burns near her home. A diary found nearby suggests suicide. The police are investigating. The incident raises fresh concerns about student mental health and academic pressure in Kerala

Palakkad: A 17-year-old Plus-Two student was found dead with severe burns in a secluded area near her home in Palakkad, the police said on Thursday.

The deceased has been identified as Gopika, a student of Kollangode BSS Higher Secondary School. She had left home in the morning to attend school, but did not return. Her mother, Sheeba, went searching for her after she failed to return from school and discovered Gopika’s charred body around 6 pm on Wednesday on a hillock at about half a km from their home.

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Alarmed by Sheeba’s screams upon discovering her daughter’s body, locals alerted Panchayat member B Manikandan, who then informed the police. Preliminary investigation suggested that Gopika died by suicide, according to a local media report quoting the police. She often spent time at the hillock on her return from school.

The police recovered her school bag, mobile phone, and a diary from the site. Reports indicate the diary contains notes detailing the reasons for taking the extreme step. Similar inscriptions were also found on the rock near where her body was found.

The police have not yet disclosed the contents of her diary that might explain the reasons behind her suicide. The Kollangode police initiated a detailed investigation into the incident. Her body was shifted to the district hospital mortuary for a post-mortem examination.

The tragic death has brought to light concerns about academic pressures and mental health support for students in the region. There have been several tragic incidents involving student deaths in Kerala recently, often attributed to factors like academic pressure, bullying, and mental harassment.

A 14-year-old girl in Palakkad died by suicide in June this year after her family alleged she was mentally harassed by her school. Following protests from students and parents, the school dismissed five staff members, including the principal.

In another case, a 17-year-old Plus Two student in Thiruvananthapuram, Darshan R, was found dead at his home in March this year. The police suspected that exam-related stress might have led to his death.