On July 2, Archana Gaudannavar, a 9th-class student from Morarji Residential School in Dudhihalli Haveri district, Karnataka, took her own life, leaving behind a death note with serious allegations against her teacher Arifullah’s wife.
Archana, a meritorious student both academically and in sports, was reportedly close friends with Zoya, Arifullah’s daughter. Arifullah, a Hindi teacher at the school, resides on the residential school premises with his family.
Local sources indicate that Arifullah’s wife, jealous of Archana’s superior academic performance compared to her daughter, allegedly subjected Archana to severe mental harassment. She would invite Archana to their home under the pretext of helping her daughter but would then harass her. This continuous distress led Archana to take the extreme step on July 2, leaving a death note in her bag that detailed the harassment she suffered.
#Karnataka A 14-year-old girl from #Haveri district commits suicide a week ago. Family, villagers and school authorities hush up the case and conduct last rites without informing the police @NewIndianXpress @XpressBengaluru @KannadaPrabha pic.twitter.com/OCCz1ssj3S
— Amit Upadhye (@AmitSUpadhye) July 11, 2024
Initially unaware of the note, Archana’s grieving parents buried her. However, upon discovering the note later, they were shocked and devastated by its contents. The revelation prompted family members, the local community, and student organizations to demand justice, accusing Arifullah’s wife of abetment to suicide. It was reported when parents confronted Arifulla, he tried to sideline the case by promising to pay 10 lakhs.
As the case was escalating further into a public outcry, local police exhumed Archana’s body for a post-mortem examination in Aladakatti village. The exhumation was supervised by Haveri Sub-Divisional Officer Chennappa, alongside officials from the Women and Child Welfare Department, forensic experts, and Archana’s relatives.
The case has ignited widespread protests, with activists from Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Karave) and Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) leading the charge for justice. On Friday, Karave’s Praveena Shetty and other members staged a protest at the Tahsildar office, demanding an FIR be registered and a CID investigation be launched into the circumstances surrounding Archana’s death. Bharamappa Dammalli, the president of the taluk unit of Karave Praveena Shetty faction, called for the dismissal of the teacher, with ABVP activists echoing the demand for strict action against those responsible.
