SUNGAI PETANI - An incident involving a Form Five student who reportedly fell from the third floor of a secondary school building near here yesterday is believed to have stemmed from the victim’s reaction to being reprimanded by a teacher for bringing a mobile phone to school.
Kedah police chief Datuk Adzli Abu Shah said the victim, who has hearing impairment and autism, had previously been referred to the school’s guidance and counselling services.
"The cause of the incident is still under investigation, but initial investigations found that on Feb 26, the victim was reprimanded by a teacher for bringing a smartphone to school; however, the phone was not confiscated,” he told a press conference at the Kuala Muda Police Headquarters here today.
According to him, the police had interviewed the teacher involved, as well as several other teachers, and would record statements from other witnesses to ensure a transparent investigation.
He said the victim had been at the school since Form One and was reported to have frequent tantrums and difficulty accepting reprimands.
Adzli said police had visited the victim at Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital here and were informed by doctors that although the student sustained serious injuries, including fractures to the left arm, left collarbone and hip as well as injury to the left lung, his overall condition remained stable.
"The injuries sustained are consistent with a fall. There were no head injuries and no other injuries that could be linked to bullying,” he said, adding that further investigations are being conducted under Section 507D(2) of the Penal Code and urged the public not to speculate on the incident.
Meanwhile, the Kedah State Education Department (JPN) said in a statement today that it will fully cooperate with the police in investigating the incident, which it regards seriously and will not tolerate if any bullying or criminal acts are found to have occurred.
According to the statement, a school cleaning worker found the student lying in the Block A building area and provided immediate assistance before rushing the student to the hospital, while the school authority promptly informed the parents.
The incident occurred when all the other students and school staff were at the assembly ground, and an initial review of closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage suggested that the student may have fallen from the third floor of the building, with his bag found near two chairs along the corridor on that floor. - BERNAMA