Class 10 girl ends life on video call with boyfriend in Kolkata; family alleges harassment

KOLKATA: A Class 10 student allegedly died by suicide during a video call with her boyfriend at Barasat in North 24 Parganas on Sunday night. Police have seized the mobile phones of the girl and her boyfriend. They have also launched an investigation on the basis of a complaint lodged by the girl's family.

According to cops, the 15-year-old girl was in a relationship with a 23-year-old youth of Ashoknagar.

In recent times, however, the relationship reportedly turned sour and became a source of severe mental distress for the teenager.

Locals said that the girl was found in a critical condition inside her home after an alleged video call with her boyfriend and was immediately rushed to Barasat Medical College and Hospital by her family members. However, doctors declared her dead on arrival. Police have recovered the body and sent it for post-mortem examination.

An officer said that the girl hung herself after tying a scarf to her room's ceiling fan. The girl's family has accused the youth of subjecting her to continuous harassment, including abusive phone calls, threats, and alleged blackmail. According to them, the sustained psychological pressure left the minor emotionally shattered.

"On Sunday evening, the youth had called the teen once again. Shortly after, she initiated a video call with him. It was during this call that she went into her room, tied a scarf to the ceiling fan, and took the extreme step," a victim's family member said.

After noticing that the door remained closed for a long time, family members grew suspicious. They called her multiple times but failed to receive an answer from the other side of the door. They eventually broke open the door and found her hanging. She was immediately taken down and shifted to the hospital, but efforts to save her proved unsuccessful.

The girl's father alleged that his daughter was subjected to persistent blackmail and intimidation by the accused youth. "He used to call her frequently, hurl abuses, and threaten her. The mental torture pushed my daughter to take this extreme step," the bereaved father added. A relative of the victim confirmed that a written complaint has been lodged with the police, demanding strict punishment for the accused.

Police officials from Duttapukur Police Station stated that a detailed investigation has been initiated. "We have seized both the phones of the girl and her boyfriend. The role of the youth is being closely examined, and appropriate legal action will be taken based on the findings," a senior official of the Barasat District Police said.