GEORGE TOWN: A Coroner's Court here set May 24 and 25 for the inquest into the death of 14-year-old student M. Vasantha Piriya, who was accused of stealing her teacher's handphone.
Lawyer V. Parthipan, whom the National Union of the Teaching Profession appointed on behalf of the teacher to do a watching brief, requested for all documents under Section 51A of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Sitting as coroner, Sessions Court judge Norsalha Hamzah then set May 24 and 25 for the inquest.
DPP J.G. Kaameni conducted the inquest.
Penang police chief Comm Datuk A. Thaiveegan was reported earlier as saying that some 30 witnesses would be called to testify.
Six police reports were lodged and three investigation papers opened on the case, including one on her attempted suicide, a sudden death report and another report made by the girl's uncle.
On Jan 24, a teacher had accused and reprimanded Vasantha Piriya for stealing her handphone at school before sending her home.
After she got home, the girl's father, R. Muniandy, went out to discuss the matter with the teacher.
The Form Two girl was found unconscious in her room after her father broke down the door when he returned home and his calls went unanswered.
The SMK Methodist student was rushed to the nearby Sungai Bakap Hospital before being transferred to Seberang Jaya Hospital, where she passed away on Feb 1 after being in a coma for seven days.
Vasantha Piriya left a note maintaining her innocence.
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