New Horizon school suicide: Cops want ‘informal session’ with classmates

The Khandeshwar police in Navi Mumbai, investigating the suicide of 12-year-old Gaurav Kank in his school on Tuesday, have decided to hold an informal session with his classmates and then shortlist five to 10 of them to record their statements.

Gaurav, a Class VI student with the New Horizon School in New Panvel, had allegedly jumped out of the partially-grilled window of his fourth-floor classroom after being scolded and slapped by his teacher during the science class just before recess was announced on Tuesday morning. The police had subsequently arrested the teacher, Saumya Manoharan, on Tuesday night, charging her with abetment to suicide and causing death due to negligence. She is at present in police custody.

“Since all the eyewitnesses in the case are 11 to 12 year old students, we will first put them at ease before we formally record their statements. We will interact with them on an informal basis. During this interaction, we will shortlist those of Gaurav’s classmates who were in the best position to have seen and heard exactly what transpired and then record their statements,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police Sanjay Yenpure, Zone II, Navi Mumbai.

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The police are also probing the possible culpability of other members of the school staff. Statements of teachers and other staff members of the school would also be recorded, said the police.