Director General of Police Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal transferred the investigation into the alleged death by suicide of Class XI student A. Akilan (16) in Coimbatore to the Crime Branch Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) on Monday (October 26, 2026).

The DGP’s order stated that the case, which was registered by the Peelamedu police in Coimbatore under Sections 115(2), 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita read with 3(2)(v) of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in connection with the death on October 22, has been transferred to the CB-CID for further investigation.

The order directed the Coimbatore City Police Commissioner to hand over the original case file and all connected records of the case to the DGP, CB-CID, immediately. The DGP, CB-CID, will nominate an investigating officer, who will take up the investigation.

Personnel from the city police handed over a copy of the order to family members of the deceased, who along with relatives and members of various political parties and organisations have been staging a protest near South Taluk office for the past few days, demanding arrest of all persons who abetted the suicide.

Akilan, who belongs to a Scheduled Caste community, was found dead in his house on October 21. The police arrested two of his classmates, who belong to different dominant castes, two days later for allegedly having subjected him to caste-based harassment. The police were also investigating allegations levelled by Akilan’s mother against a teacher and the headmaster.

The post-mortem of the deceased was held at the Government Medical College and ESI Hospital on Monday. However, the family did not accept the body. Akilan’s parents had earlier said they would accept the body only after the arrest of all those who they accused of having harassed their son on caste grounds.

Solatium and govt. job

Backward Classes Welfare Minister V. Sampath Kumar on Monday handed over an order sanctioning ₹6 lakh in interim compensation to Akilan’s family.

He also handed over a government job appointment order to Akilan’s sister, Nethra, as a junior assistant at the Anaikatti Tribal Residential School. The Minister met the family at the South Taluk Office in Coimbatore and offered his condolences.

(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416, and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.)