Protests seeking arrest of school principal held in Coimbatore, teacher sent to jail

A suicide note purportedly written by the victim of the sexual assault blamed two other persons, including the school principal, for not acting on her complaint, said the police. Meanwhile, Chief Minister M K Stalin expressed grief over the student's death and promised stringent action against the culprits. He said the act of ''some human beasts'' has taken away a life.

''Schools should ensure sexual assaults do not happen. (we) will arrest the culprits and bring them before the law... will ensure the safety of women,'' he said in a tweet. Earlier today, the police gathered evidence of the teacher sending the girl obscene messages and their conversation from her mobile phone. The girl's body was sent to a government hospital for postmortem and the parents and relatives refused to accept the body as they demanded the arrest of the school head, the police said. Over 100 people comprising representatives of students' and women's organisations, SDPI and Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhakam and Naam Tamilar Katchi gathered in front of the girl's house demanding action against the school management and also the two named in the suicide note, police said.

The teacher has been sent to a sub-jail in Udumalpet, they said. Two special police teams have been formed to trace the school principal who is at large. However, a case under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been registered against the absconding school head for not taking action on the abused student's complaint, said the police. The 17-year-old student on Thursday hanged herself in her house as she was yet to overcome the trauma of the abuse that took place in April last.