According to the statement of the girl’s father, she had informed him about the harassment. He had asked her to return home, but she refused to come back, stating that she may not get another seat in a different college.

Television actress Tunisha Sharma died by suicide on December 24 at the age of 20. Her death is stark reminder how we fail to protect young women with mental health issues.

Indian women are noted to be suicidal in higher numbers owing to biological susceptibility to certain conditions and high prevalence of post-marriage emotional and physical abuse.

The rage that we as parents feel at such incidents should smack us in the face and propel us to speak. Our silence at such heart-wrenching incidents makes us complicit ... somewhere.

Lack of sensitivity, and an unspoken yet strongly implemented taboo on access to information play a large part in the all pervasive queer phobia in Indian schools and colleges.