"10 More Days, Would've Changed His School": Father On Delhi Boy's Suicide

The Class 10 student of a prestigious Delhi school who died by suicide wanted to enrol in an acting school in Mumbai after graduation and enter Bollywood. 

Sixteen-year-old Shourya Patil, who was allegedly mocked and rebuked for falling at a dance rehearsal on the school stage hours before his death, loved dancing and playing sports, his father Pradeep Patil told NDTV. 

"The teen also represented his school at a dance programme hosted by another school two months ago," he said.

Shourya, who studied at St Columba's School - a leading private school in Delhi, jumped from Platform 2 of Rajendra Place Metro Station in Central Delhi on Tuesday. A purported suicide note recovered from his school bag accused three teachers of ill-treatment and blamed them for his act.

The headmaster and the three teachers named in the First Information Report (FIR) have been suspended so far. 

Also Read | 'Cry As Much As You Want': What Teacher Told Delhi Teen Who Died By Suicide

Patil said a day before the suicide, he had assured his son of admission to another school once he completed the remaining 10 days of classes at St Columba's before the pre-board examinations next month.

"On Monday only I told him I would change his school. He was in Class 10 and his pre-board exams were around the corner and we didn't want to risk his marks. He just had eight to 10 days of classes left at St Columba's," the student's father said. "We even discussed a list of probable schools for his enrollment."  

"Four days before his suicide, he was threatened with a transfer certificate (TC) by his teachers. How can you issue such threats, keeping in mind only 10 days of classes were left? How can you spoil someone's entire academic year?" he asked. 

Shourya's friends and classmates also earlier alleged he was ill-treated by his teachers and was threatened with a TC days before his death. 

Also Read | "He Had Suicidal Thoughts": Delhi Schoolboys On Teen Who Died By Suicide

Patil said his son's imagination was "unreal". "He could write scripts for movies in a span of a few hours. He loved acting the most. He wanted to go to an acting school with his friend. We had planned to go to Mumbai together and try to make it in Bollywood after college," he said. 

"Shourya was very outgoing. He had a good sense of humour. He could also strike up a conversation with anyone. All his classmates were his friends. He loved to dance and write movie scripts. He was extremely creative and loved to play sports, especially track running," he added. 

Patil said there was nothing unusual in his son's behaviour on Monday.

"He brought ice cream. Before going to school on Tuesday, he told his mother to get food from outside when he returned," he said. 

Also Read | Parents Of 2 Students Who Died By Suicide To NDTV On What Their Schools Did

Hours before his death, Shourya was removed from a dance performance after he fell during a rehearsal on stage. According to his friends, his teachers accused him of falling on purpose, and doing drama and overacting. 

"One of the teachers told him 'cry as much as you want, it doesn't matter to me'. The school principal was also present on the spot but did not intervene," Patil earlier said. 

What the suicide note said

In the suicide note that was recovered from his bag in the metro station, Shourya said he was forced to take his life due to the "repeated harassment". 

"My parents have done a lot. I am sorry I couldn't give them anything," he said. He apologised to his brother for his "misbehaviour" and his mother, for "repeatedly breaking her heart". "I am breaking your heart for the last time," he said.

"School ki teachers abh hai hi esse kya bolu... Meri last wish hai inke uper action le, me hi chata koi aur bacha meri tarah kuch kare (the school teachers are like this, what can I say... My last wish is that action be initiated against them. I don't want any other child to take such a step  - referring to his suicide)," he said.

He also said "I am sorry but St Columba's teachers have done this to me," he said. 

He thanked his mother for always supporting him and asked her to continue doing so for his father and brother. 

Shourya also shared a phone number and said whoever found the letter should call that number.

He also asked for his organs to be donated, if they are in a "condition to work". "If any of my body works or is in condition to work kindly donate it to someone who really needs it," he said.