Fearing families’ wrath, 2 girls in suicide pact

Nagpur: Two 17-year-old girl students of Std XII allegedly ended their lives by jumping into Koradi lake on Thursday. They took the step fearing reprimand from parents who were informed -by a teacher that the two were bunking classes. Their bodies, still in school uniform, were fished out on Saturday by police and fire-brigade.

Aashna Rokade and her classmate Manisha Patle had individually informed their families about their intention to end lives through a common friend. The common male friend was explaining to Manisha's mother about the gravity of the situation on a cellphone from Koradi temple where they were seated.

As he walked some distance away with the cellphone talking to Manisha's mother, the girls jumped into the water leaving behind their schoolbags and slippers. The common male friend, now under police scanner, is learnt to have conveyed to the girls' families that they were untraceable. He tried to search in the lake but could not spot anything as it was already dark. Police later found a damaged SIM used by Aashna at that place.

The girls had left their houses in Jaripatka on Thursday after informing their families about going to school and then classes. The two were to return home by 6.30 or 7pm. The families were tense as the two remained untraceable.

Aashna had even called up her eldest sister in Chhindwada and informed her about the plans. It has now come to fore that the mobile phone was given to her by a Facebook friend as Aashna's family claimed that they had not provided her one.

It was probably around the same time that Manisha too had penned a suicide note in a notebook that was found in her school bag. She had written that their families should not misunderstand them and that they were sorry for taking the drastic decision.

Police said Aashna and Manisha had gone to Ambazari garden and later to Futala Lake with the common male friend to meet another person. As this person did not turn up, the three later returned on the common friend's bike to Jaripatka. Here some other friends told them that their teacher had come to know about them changing uniforms at a hospital.

Following a complaint from the school, Manisha's father had gone to her tuition classes where he did not find the duo. On hearing this, the girls panicked. Then they headed to Koradi and ended their lives.

Koradi police had earlier registered a case of kidnapping against unidentified persons and are now recording it as an accidental death. The cops, as of now, are refusing any foul play in the matter.

One of the relatives of Aashna said that they have learnt about her Facebook friend who had been chatting with her after creating four fake IDs. The family has also come to know that Aashna and Manisha had gone for an outing last Sunday with some friends. The cops are questioning the friends now.