In a recent update to the minor Hindu girl suicide case from Thanjavur, the YouTube channel Chanakyaa, has released an exclusive interview with Lavanya’s father Muruganandham and her Grandmother Chellamal. While speaking to Chanakyaa, both Muruganandham and Chellamal reveal a lot of information.

When asked about conversion, Muruganandham said, “My child did not tell me anything about conversion, before she fell sick. 2 years back, the school called us and the sisters there asked us to convert my child to Christianity saying that she studies well, and that they will take complete care of her. This offer was made to us by the school’s administrators themselves. It turned into a heated argument, after which we thought that they put the matter to bed. We didn’t hear about conversion from the school for 2 years after that. But they had told my child not to say a word about it, threatening to write negative comments on her TC (transfer certificate). Out of fear of losing her schooling and education, my child did not tell us anything.”

He also said that they did not take efforts to change her school, because they had not directly mentioned conversion to them after that, for 2 years. Again Muruganandham said, “They have severely tortured my child. And she didn’t even tell us, because they have threatened her not to.”

He then explained that the school called them citing his daughter’s  sickness on 10th January. After which, they took her to the Government Hospital, that just gave her some medication for her vomiting. The child did not open up about consuming poison at all. On Pongal day, she had complained to her father of stomach ache, and therefore he took her to a priavte Hospital in Ariyalur for treatment.

Only the doctors in the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital have then identified that the child had consumed poison. “After hearing this, we asked her the reason, for which she said that she was not able to tolerate the Hostel warden’s torture, and therefore she consumed poison. We immediately took some people along with us and filed a complaint with the Thirukaatupalli Police station. We asked them to investigate why the child has been forced to consume poison. After this, 2 police officers came to the hospital and took a video-graphed evidence and statement of the child. We’re not aware what she spoke, but I know that only told them the truth,” Muruganandham narrated.

He also said that the video that was shared on social media was the child’s last statement. The first statement of the child was given to the Police officers. He then said that the school did not follow up on them after the child was admitted in the hospital, initially. However Muruganandham said, “2 days later, some of the school representatives came to the hospital and and offered us money for the treatment. I asked them if they can give my child back to me, with good health. After this, they silently left the place, without another word.”

He then said that nobody from the school came for the child’s final rites, and have not contacted them, ever since the visited them in the Hospital. He said that he has said everything to the Police officers, and has faith that they would take the investigation in the right direction. He requested the Tamil Nadu government that his child should get her deserved justice, and that no other child should go through what she went through.

In another exclusive interview, Muruganandham’s mother and Lavanya’s grandmother, Chellamal, gives her statement. She clearly says in the video that she had no trouble at home, as her parents never reprimanded her for anything. She said that she consumed poison only because she was not able to tolerate the torture she was undergoing in her school. She also said that they had taken her to the Church without their knowledge.

(With inputs from Chanakyaa)

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