The suicide of 17-year-old girl Lavanya in Tamil Nadu has sparked outrage across the state as the shocking incident was alleged to have happened due to a coercing religious conversion and harassment. It was alleged that she was forced to convert to Christianity by the hostel warden of a boarding house in which the student was staying. The girl is a native of Ariyalur and the police have launched a probe into her death. 

Lavanya was a class 12 student, studying at the Sacred Hearts Higher Secondary School in Michaelpatti in Thanjavur and she was staying in the hostel provided by the school. She was admitted to a hospital in Thanjavur earlier this month after she attempted to commit suicide by consuming pesticide. Amid treatments, she had eventually died on January 19. she was getting treated at the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital and her death at the backdrop of the allegation of the religious conversion has sparked controversy and outrage with the BJP coming into the picture and condemning the act of conversion. 

The deceased girl was staying in a boarding house named St. Michael's Girls Home in Thanjavur where it was alleged that the hostel warden had tortured her. In a video that went viral, the girl has confessed that she was repeatedly scolded by the hostel warden and she was also forced to clean the rooms in the hostel. The girl has alleged that she was forced by the hostel warden to convert to Christianity. 

After going through abuse, she had eventually consumed pesticide in her attempt to commit suicide. On January 10, the girl's father was informed that her daughter was admitted to a hospital on January 9 with complaints of vomiting and severe stomach pain. Her father Muruganantham had arrived and shifted his daughter to the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital for further treatments. During the treatment, she has regained consciousness and she had divulged to her parents and doctors how she was tortured and why she had attempted suicide.

After recording her statement, the police had arrested 62-year-old Sakayakumari, the warden of the boarding home. The accused warden was remanded under judicial custody and lodged in the Trichy prison. Muruganantham has said that his daughter was tortured and was made to do all jobs. She had refused to convert to another religion. He further said, "When she had attempted suicide, the school didn't inform us. The hospital informed us, even the police didn't help."

Muruganantham had also moved his petition to the Madras High Court Madurai Bench seeking an order of a CB-CID inquiry into his daughter's death. His petition came to a hearing on Saturday - January 22 before the High Court bench headed by Justice GS Swaminathan. Initially, the parents had refused to take their daughter's body as they demanded stern action against the school management that has allegedly coerced her and her family to convert to Christianity in exchange for educational expenses. 

However, after the hearing, the High Court has directed the parents to receive the body and conduct a funeral. In an order to the police, the High Court has also directed the police to conduct a proper probe and investigate the 44-second video clip that went viral on social media. In the video ahead of committing suicide, Lavanya said she was asked to convert to Christianity for which she and her parents had staunchly refused. 

The court has asked the girl's parents to take her body to her hometown and conduct the last rituals on Saturday. The police have been directed to make necessary arrangements. It also has ordered the girl's parents to appear before the Thanjavur Judicial Magistrate and record their statements. The court has observed that there is no allegation of sexual harassment, which doesn't present the need for a second autopsy. By citing that the statement from the parents will be submitted to the High Court on Monday, the court has adjourned the matter to Monday - January 24.