Police have arrested the founder of Valley Public School Chaurjahari Municipality-1 and the principal on charges of abetting suicide.

Last Friday, a 13-year-old grade-8 student died by suicide shortly after returning home from school.

According to Police Inspector Dharmendra Khadka, acting chief of the District Police Office, 21-year-old Sirjana Gautam, the victim’s sister, in her complaint said that her sister was physically and mentally tortured in the school several times which led to her killing herself.

The police arrested both the accused following the complaint for preliminary investigation.

Yadu Gautam, the uncle of the deceased girl, said that his niece was beaten and humiliated by the principal several times in front of everyone.

“On Friday, the principal physically assaulted my niece in the presence of the founder. Later, while returning home, she told everyone that she was never coming back to the school no matter what,” said Yadu. “She went home and died by suicide.”

The victim was taken to the local Chaurjahari Hospital where she was declared dead.

“My niece’s friends told me that the principal would humiliate and assault my niece at school,” said Yadu.

The deceased was the youngest of the three siblings. Her father, Parshuram Gautam, is a soldier in the army while her mother Shanta Gautam is a housewife.