Jajpur: A 17-year-old student of Renaissance Higher Secondary School in Odisha's Jajpur district allegedly took his own life by consuming poison after being harassed by authorities of the educational institution over a matter pertaining to mobile phone theft. He was a student of Class-XII.

According to reports, he consumed poison at his home on Monday evening after being accused of stealing a mobile phone from a hostel mate.

The minor boy was initially taken to a government hospital in Madhuban and later shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, where he passed away on Tuesday.

His father has lodged a complaint in this connection with the Dharmasala police.

The family members of the deceased said that they received a call from the school on August 4. They were informed that the boy stole a mobile phone from a hostel roommate.

“We arrived at the school around 10 am, and our son appeared very stressed, insisting on his innocence. The school authorities told us to take him home. When we requested to see the CCTV footage of the alleged incident, they were unable to provide it. We brought him home on Sunday,” his father recounted.

The deceased's father further alleged that his son was subjected to mental torture by the school authorities. “My son could not bear the harassment and died by suicide,” he said.