Regulate school timings, file report before August 29: Madras HC to govt 

CHENNAI:  The Madras High Court has directed the State government to file a report before August 29 on regulating school timings for children since it was stated that private schools make them study from 6am to late into the evening. Saying that pressure from parents, relatives and peers to score high marks drive schoolchildren to take their own lives, the court has also stressed on the need to offer psychological counselling to students. The State shall come up with a policy decision over appointing psychologists in every district for creating healthy atmosphere for children to study, the court said. 

Justice N Sathish Kumar, while recording the submissions of State Public Prosecutor (SPP) Hasan Mohammed Jinnah on the progress made in the probe into the death of Kallakurichi student and the resultant violence, said children, who need care and protection, often face pressure from the society over scoring high marks. The challenges faced by children in virtual world are unreal and when they face real-world challenges, they break down, the judge said.  

“Under constant pressure and uncertainty regarding academics and career coupled with lack of adequate care and support, the children who are unable to cope see no other option other than to take their own lives,” the judge said.

The SPP submitted a status report of the CB-CID investigation into the cause of death of the girl and the special investigation team’s (SIT) task of tracing perpetrators of the violence. He said the SIT has identified seven WhatsApp groups in which 875 members circulated messages to instigate the protests. Fifty mobile numbers are shortlisted and their identity is being ascertained. Sixty-three YouTube links, 31 Twitter links, and 37 Facebook links have been identified and requests have been sent to Google, Twitter and Facebook demanding the IP addresses.

The judge asked the media to show some ‘sense of responsibility’ while publishing news with regard to children and projecting issues of children would lead to ‘copycat’ suicides. He wanted media outlets to desist from repeating the images or describing suicide methods in detail. They should give helpline numbers.