In a distressing incident at a private school in Dongre Nagar, Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, a 13-year-old Class 8 student and national-level skating player attempted suicide by jumping from the third floor of the school building on Friday. The boy sustained critical injuries but was immediately rushed to a private hospital, where his condition has since stabilised.
According to school authorities, the incident stemmed from an incident the previous day. On Thursday, the student had brought his mobile phone to school—against the institution’s strict no-phone policy—and recorded a video inside the classroom, which he subsequently uploaded to social media. When the school administration discovered the video, they summoned the boy’s parents for a meeting on Friday to address the rule violation.
CCTV footage from the school, which has now become a crucial part of the ongoing police investigation, captured the sequence of events in chilling detail. The 13-year-old can be seen entering the Principal’s office, where he remained for nearly four minutes. During this time, in a state of visible fear and desperation, he repeatedly apologised for his actions, saying “sorry” a total of 52 times.
The boy later told investigators that the principal had allegedly threatened to “end his career,” suspend him from school, and confiscate the medals he had earned through his skating achievements. The child, who had represented his state at the national level twice and was widely recognised for his talent in the sport, reportedly broke down after hearing these words.
Moments after leaving the Principal’s office, the footage shows the boy rushing out, sprinting frantically through the corridor, and then suddenly leaping from the third-floor balcony.
Tragically, the boy’s father, Pritam Katara, was sitting in the school’s waiting area at that exact moment, completely unaware of the confrontation taking place just metres away.
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“I was invited to meet my son. When I reached the school, I found out he had fallen… He has been to nationals twice in skating. I got a call from the school, but then another call came from the school asking me to come straight to the hospital,” Pritam Katara recounted.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Archie Harit confirmed the basic facts of the case while speaking to the media. “The child is in Class 8. He had brought his phone. He ran and jumped. His condition is stable. An investigation will be conducted. Mobile phones are not allowed in school; even teachers’ phones are confiscated. He is a skater with a very good national-level position,” the SDM stated, adding that the situation had escalated unexpectedly.
The school administration maintained that they had only intended to discuss the matter with the boy’s father present before deciding on any disciplinary measures. Nevertheless, the boy’s prolonged apologies, the alleged threats regarding his sporting future, and his extreme reaction within minutes have sparked serious concerns about the manner in which the situation was handled, prompting authorities to launch a thorough probe into the entire episode.
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