Hyderabad school’s registration suspended as team probes why sixth grader jumped to death

Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah ordered suspending the registration of a private school in Hyderabad and dismissing its principal after an inquiry team found negligence on the part of the school administration in Monday’s shocking incident of a sixth grader’s fall to death.

In CCTV footage, the student, Momina, can be seen jumping from the third floor of the school in the Qasimabad area, and two staffers trying in vain to save her. The school administration had moved the student to the Civil Hospital, where doctors confirmed her death.

ASP Alina Rajpar, in charge of the four-member investigation committee constituted by Hyderabad SSP Amjad Shaikh, along with members -- the Qasimabad police DSP and the SHO -- visited the school premises.

Later, speaking to the media, Rajpar said that in the CCTV footage examined, the incident appeared to be a suicide, but it was important to know the reason why the girl committed suicide.

Alina added that Momina spoke little in school and did not take a class before committing suicide. The school staff tried to stop the student, but they could only get hold of her jacket, and she fell down.

Education Minister Shah took notice of the girl’s death and formed an inquiry committee under Additional Director Private Institutions Rafia Javed. The deputy director private institutions, Hyderabad Region, Nusrat Parveen, while issuing a message on social media, termed Momina’s death sad. She said that after the incident happened, officials under the supervision of Director Muhammad Ali reached the school, but the principal and administration had run away and female teachers were present there.

The student’s body was handed over to her father Zulfiqar, and the family buried in the Sarfaraz Narejo village, a suburb of Sanghar. According to ASP Alina Rajpar, the parents’ statement will be recorded after the funeral. The initial inquiry report has been presented to the chief minister.