Family of Form Four student points finger at school after his suicide

BUKIT MERTAJAM: The family of SMK Jalan Damai form four student S.K. Logamitraa want answers from the school after the boy took his own life.

Malaysian Tamilar Kural president David Marshel, who spoke on behalf of the family, said they believed Logamitraa was depressed possibly because of issues at school and wanted to know if he was mistreated.

"Logamitraa was in the second last class in school and had appealed to be transferred to a better class since the start of the new school session but to no avail.

"Everything started when he asked to change class. One thing led to another, and the boy could no longer take it anymore," David told reporters on Thursday (Feb 6).

Marshel said apart from the fact that Logamitraa's appeals went unheeded, he was also often reprimanded by teachers for issues relating to his attire, hair and such.

“Last month, Logamitraa was made to take off his trousers after teachers claimed it was tight-fitting.

"Logamitraa was then made to wear shorts for the rest of the day. The boy's favourite key chain which had been with him for a long time was confiscated as teachers claimed it was a sharp object," added David.

Marshel said the family wanted answers from the school.

"He (Logamitraa) never had any problems before, and now he is gone," added Marshel after attending Logamitraa's final rites in Taman Taman Sejahtera here.

Logamitraa is survived by his parents and 15-year-old sister.

His family members were too distraught to speak.

On Tuesday, Logamitraa's mother found her son hanging from a blanket tied to the ceiling fan in his room. He was rushed to the Bukit Mertajam Hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Marshel said the boy's mother had advised her son to study harder so that he could move to a better class soon without appealing for a change.

"The day he took his life was supposed to be the first day he attended tuition class to improve his grades, but it was not meant to be," he added.

State Education Department director Abdul Rashid Abdul Samad, when contacted, said they would leave it to the police to investigate the matter.

Central Seberang Prai OCPD Asst Comm Nik Ros Azhan Nik Abdul Hamid said a post-mortem examination conducted on Logamitraa showed the boy died due to hanging since there were bruises on his neck.

They have ruled out foul play as there were no other internal or external injuries.

Those suffering from problems or contemplating suicide can contact the Befrienders service nearest them. For a full list of numbers and operating hours, go to befrienders.org.my/centre-in-malaysia.