In her dying declaration, a video of which went viral on social media, the girl said that she was asked to convert to Christianity by the school if she wanted to continue her studies further.
Chennai: Lalita (name changed), a 17-year-old girl studying at Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School in Thirukattupalli near Thanjavur, committed suicide by drinking pesticide after she was allegedly tortured to convert to Christianity by the school for her to continue her studies.
In her dying declaration, a video of which went viral on social media, the girl said that she was asked to convert to Christianity by the school if she wanted to continue her studies further.
This has now once again been reemphasized by the girl’s parents who while addressing reporters today said that their daughter was forced to convert and tortured.
“Our girl was forced to convert and tortured. She is no more with us. We want justice. She was made to clean toilets. They had really tortured her so much because of which she was really disheartened and died. We want justice for our daughter. We will take the body of our girl only if those two (Rochelin Mary and Sagaya Mary) are arrested.”, the parent said.
“Our girl herself is no more. What are we going to do anymore? No one else should undergo what my girl went through. Let my girl be the first and last. The injustice that happened to my daughter should not happen to anyone else. They should take action for that.”, she lamented.
One of the reporters can be heard repeatedly drilling the lady and trying to thrust his views in an attempt to corner her and questioning the claims of religious conversion.
The lady conveys that there was no need for her to lie adding that they were being forced to convert for two years and that the school had reached out to them as well. She also says that they even tried to change school after class 10 but could not do because of COVID-19 restrictions. When the reporter tried to drill further, the visibly agitated parent left.
Contrary to the statements of the deceased girl and her parents, Thanjavur Superintendent of Police Ravali Priya IPS had organized a press meet on 20 January 2022 and announced that there was no religious conversion angle in the case.
She said that the girl’s statement to the police makes no mention of forced conversion. She had also threatened to take action on those who had shared the video of the girl on social media.
Later on January 21, she said that the police are investigating all angles, including the allegation that Lalita was facing pressure to convert to Christianity.
