Delhi teen suicide victim’s kin march to demand St Columba teachers’ arrest; docs warn against bullying

Around 100 protesters demanded the arrest of four suspended teachers linked to a student's suicide, while experts urged urgent action on children's mental health.

New Delhi

Protesters at the Karol Bagh police station. (HT)

Around 100 people gathered at the Karol Bagh market on Thursday evening and marched to the police station, demanding the arrest of four teachers of St. Columba’s school who were suspended after a 16-year-old student from the school died by suicide last week and had named them in his suicide note.

The march was organised by the student’s family and the Karol Bagh Jewellers Association.

“This is a simple march. We want the police to quicken their investigation, and for the teachers involved to be arrested. It is shocking that they have not been arrested yet; we feel as if the situation is not being taken seriously, and want the government to pay more attention to it,” said the student’s father.

The march started at 6pm and the protesters handed over a letter to the police.

Meanwhile, experts from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) renewed their call for urgent action on children’s mental health.

Speaking at a conference on “Mental Health Among School Children and Adolescents” on Thursday, they stressed that schools must actively monitor and curb bullying, particularly over body image and the growing influence of social media trolling.

Dr Rajesh Sagar, professor of psychiatry at AIIMS, said India faces a serious mental-health treatment gap. “For every 100 children who need help, barely 10 receive any form of mental-health intervention,” he noted, adding that early diagnosis and timely treatment remain severely inadequate.

Experts also highlighted that India reports a higher rate of suicides among children compared to many other countries, underscoring the need for stronger preventive measures, better school-based mental-health systems, and greater awareness among parents and educators.

Doctors noted that early signs of poor mental health in children include persistent sadness or irritability, social withdrawal, changes in sleep or appetite, and a decline in academic performance.