Delhi Teen's Suicide Reveals Dreams of Bollywood Career Cut Short by School Harassment

The student died by suicide on Tuesday.

The Class 10 student from a prestigious Delhi school who took his own life had dreams of enrolling in a Mumbai acting school after graduation to pursue a career in Bollywood.

Sixteen-year-old Shourya Patil, who allegedly faced mockery and criticism for falling during a dance rehearsal hours before his death, was passionate about dancing and sports, his father Pradeep Patil revealed to NDTV.

The teenager had even represented his school at an inter-school dance competition just two months prior to the tragedy.

Shourya, a student at St Columba's School - one of Delhi's leading private institutions, jumped from Platform 2 of Rajendra Place Metro Station in Central Delhi on Tuesday. A suicide note found in his school bag accused three teachers of mistreatment and blamed them for his decision.

Following the incident, the headmaster and the three teachers named in the First Information Report (FIR) have been suspended.

Patil shared that just one day before the suicide, he had promised his son admission to another school once he completed the remaining 10 days of classes at St Columba's before next month's pre-board examinations.

"I told him on Monday that I would change his school. He was in Class 10 with pre-board exams approaching, and we didn't want to risk his academic performance. He only had eight to 10 days of classes remaining at St Columba's," the grieving father explained. "We had even discussed potential schools for his enrollment."

"Four days before his suicide, teachers threatened him with a transfer certificate (TC). How can they issue such threats when only 10 days of classes remained? How can they potentially ruin someone's entire academic year?" he questioned.

Shourya's classmates have also alleged that he experienced ill-treatment from teachers and faced threats of receiving a transfer certificate shortly before his death.

Patil described his son's imagination as "unreal." "He could write movie scripts within hours. Acting was his greatest passion. He planned to attend acting school with his friend. We had made plans to go to Mumbai together and try to establish ourselves in Bollywood after college," he said.

"Shourya was very outgoing with an excellent sense of humor. He could engage anyone in conversation. All his classmates were his friends. He loved dancing, writing movie scripts, and was extremely creative. He also enjoyed sports, especially track running," the father added.

Patil noted that his son's behavior seemed normal on Monday. "He brought home ice cream. Before leaving for school on Tuesday, he asked his mother to order food from outside for when he returned," he recalled.

Hours before his death, Shourya was removed from a dance performance after falling during a rehearsal. According to friends, teachers accused him of falling deliberately and overacting.

"One teacher told him 'cry as much as you want, it doesn't matter to me'. The school principal witnessed this but didn't intervene," Patil previously stated.

In his suicide note recovered from his bag at the metro station, Shourya attributed his decision to "repeated harassment." He wrote, "My parents have done a lot. I am sorry I couldn't give them anything." He apologized to his brother for "misbehavior" and to his mother for "repeatedly breaking her heart," adding, "I am breaking your heart for the last time."

The note continued: "School ki teachers abh hai hi esse kya bolu... Meri last wish hai inke uper action le, me hi chata koi aur bacha meri tarah kuch kare (The school teachers are like this, what can I say... My last wish is that action be initiated against them. I don't want any other child to take such a step)."

He explicitly stated, "I am sorry but St Columba's teachers have done this to me."

Shourya thanked his mother for her consistent support and asked her to continue supporting his father and brother. He included a phone number for whoever found the letter to call and requested organ donation if possible, writing, "If any of my body works or is in condition to work kindly donate it to someone who really needs it."

Helplines: Vandrevala Foundation for Mental Health 9999666555 or help@vandrevalafoundation.com; TISS iCall 022-25521111 (Monday-Saturday: 8 am to 10 pm). If you need support or know someone who does, please contact your nearest mental health specialist.