Patna: A deep divide has emerged between police and the family of an 11-year-old student who died after being found with severe burns in her school’s bathroom, with both sides offering starkly different accounts of her death.
Police in Patna claim that Zoya Parveen, a fifth-grade student at Amala Tola Kanya Madhya Vidyalaya, died by suicide. According to an official investigation report, the student set herself on fire inside a school toilet on August 27 and was later taken to a hospital where she died from her injuries. The police report states that forensic teams recovered a bottle containing kerosene from the scene and that a postmortem confirmed the cause of death as burning.
However, Zoya’s family has vehemently rejected the police’s findings, alleging a conspiracy and a one-sided investigation. “Police are making up a story,” said Waris Parveen, Zoya’s brother. “We don’t even keep kerosene in our house. How could my sister have burned herself?”
Waris said police took two bottles from their home during the investigation, one of which was empty and the other filled with water, which he says proves his sister did not bring the flammable liquid to school. He questioned the police’s claim that Zoya brought kerosene from home. “If Zoya had brought the oil from home, the bottle would have been found inside the bathroom, not outside.”
Zoya’s sister, Seema Parveen, also raised serious doubts about the police’s narrative. She claimed the bathroom door was locked from the outside when her sister was found, a detail she says makes suicide impossible. “We are not satisfied with the police investigation,” she said. “The parents want the culprits to be hanged in the same way as zoya was burnt.” The family also questioned why teachers did not save Zoya and why she was taken to the hospital in an auto rickshaw instead of an ambulance.
In a statement, City SP Diksha said, “The student has committed suicide. She has set herself on fire. The reason behind this is now being investigated.” Police said they are now looking into what might have provoked the suicide.
Following the incident, the family’s anger spilled over, leading to a protest outside the school where enraged relatives and students vandalized the building and blocked roads. The crowd also reportedly attacked police officers who arrived on the scene. Police said they have since identified and are looking to arrest those involved in the violence. So far, 21 people have been arrested in connection with the unrest.
Zoya’s family claims their relatives have been unfairly targeted and arrested by the police. “The police are arresting people who have nothing to do with this incident,” Waris said. He called for a broader investigation that includes interviewing his sister’s teachers and classmates, arguing that they could provide critical information.
Zoya was the youngest of five siblings and was preparing for her school’s Teacher’s Day celebrations. Her brother said she had told a friend that she wanted to collect 150 rupees for the event. The family, who lives in a rented house, is from a low-income background; her father sells vegetables, and her mother works as a cook.
