Amaira was afraid of heights. Yet...: Mother's bullying charge in Jaipur school suicide
On Wednesday, Amaira's parents released CCTV footage and alleged their daughter was bullied and ignored in class before her fatal fall.
The parents of nine-year-old Amaira, the Jaipur girl who died after jumping from the fourth floor of her school building on November 1, 2025, after allegedly being subjected to bullying by her classmates, have said their daughter was afraid of heights and could never have taken such an extreme step unless she was under unbearable stress and desperation.
A day after releasing CCTV footage of the events leading up to the incident, the family accused the school authorities, particularly teachers, of failing to respond to repeated distress signals and ignoring Amaira's pleas for help, ultimately pushing her to believe that escaping the humiliation was easier than continuing to endure it.
Speaking to India Today TV, Amaira's mother Shivani Dev said the tragedy reflected the level of emotional distress her daughter experienced inside the classroom that day.
"She never wanted to jump because Amaira was scared of only one thing in life, which was height. She was scared of even a two-foot bench in our society. Imagine the desperation and stress she must have been under that she jumped from the fourth floor," she said.
Shivani alleged that the bullying was not limited to one child but escalated after several classmates joined in while the class teacher failed to intervene.
'AMAIRA'S PLEAS UNHEEDED'
According to her, Amaira repeatedly approached the teacher seeking help, but instead of addressing her concerns, the teacher allegedly sided with the other students and shouted at her.
"This can happen to anyone when a group gangs up to bully someone. It started with one boy, then four or five others joined in. Amaira was trying to explain herself while the others laughed at her. The teacher should have recognised those distress signals instead of ignoring them," the mother said.
The parents said the newly released CCTV footage shows Amaira approaching her class teacher several times over a span of minutes before her emotional state visibly deteriorated.
'AMAIRA'S BODY LANGUAGE CHANGED'
They claimed her body language reflected fear, anxiety and helplessness as she repeatedly tried to explain what had happened, while other students surrounded the teacher and continued speaking about her.
Shivani said her daughter displayed multiple signs that she was in distress but none of them were acted upon, alleging that Amaira eventually ran out of the classroom in panic, yet no teacher followed her or attempted to stop her before she reached the fourth floor.
Describing the footage she later watched, Shivani said she found it difficult to recognise her daughter. "I really think she is not my Amaira. Something had taken over her. She was in a state of hurry and panic and thought it was better to die than remain in that situation," she alleged.
FAMILY STILL SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS
Amaira's father, Vijay Meena, said the family was still searching for answers about what exactly transpired inside the classroom before the tragedy.
He questioned the explanation allegedly given by the class teacher, claiming it did not match Amaira's visible reaction captured on CCTV.
"We asked the teacher what Amaira had been telling her for nearly one-and-a-half hours. The explanation we received simply does not explain Amaira's shock. Everything is visible on the CCTV, yet no one is willing to tell us what really happened," Vijay said.
He further said the family still does not know whether Amaira intended to jump or was simply trying to escape the situation.
"We don't know if she wanted to fall from the second floor, if she just wanted to get hurt, or if she had developed tunnel vision where her only goal was to escape what she had been enduring," he said.
Shivani also appealed to parents to take complaints of bullying seriously instead of dismissing them outright.
She said parents should objectively examine allegations involving their children, understand the facts, counsel them appropriately and engage in constructive dialogue with the affected child's family so that such incidents can be prevented in future.
PARENTS ALLEGE POLICE INACTION
The parents have also alleged police inaction and demanded that stricter provisions of the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act be invoked against the school's principal and chairman, in addition to the class teacher.
Police have already named the school owner, principal and class teacher in the chargesheet under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to alleged criminal negligence.
The case had also prompted scrutiny from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), whose inspection committee flagged major lapses in student safety, supervision and anti-bullying mechanisms at the school.
Among the shortcomings highlighted were inadequate CCTV monitoring, the absence of a mandatory safety committee, failure to secure upper-floor railings and allegations that complaints of bullying over several months were not adequately addressed.
Meanwhile, Amaira’s parents continue to seek accountability from the school administration and investigating agencies while pressing for stronger legal action against those they believe failed to protect their daughter.
The parents of nine-year-old Amaira, the Jaipur girl who died after jumping from the fourth floor of her school building on November 1, 2025, after allegedly being subjected to bullying by her classmates, have said their daughter was afraid of heights and could never have taken such an extreme step unless she was under unbearable stress and desperation.
A day after releasing CCTV footage of the events leading up to the incident, the family accused the school authorities, particularly teachers, of failing to respond to repeated distress signals and ignoring Amaira's pleas for help, ultimately pushing her to believe that escaping the humiliation was easier than continuing to endure it.
Speaking to India Today TV, Amaira's mother Shivani Dev said the tragedy reflected the level of emotional distress her daughter experienced inside the classroom that day.
"She never wanted to jump because Amaira was scared of only one thing in life, which was height. She was scared of even a two-foot bench in our society. Imagine the desperation and stress she must have been under that she jumped from the fourth floor," she said.
Shivani alleged that the bullying was not limited to one child but escalated after several classmates joined in while the class teacher failed to intervene.
'AMAIRA'S PLEAS UNHEEDED'
According to her, Amaira repeatedly approached the teacher seeking help, but instead of addressing her concerns, the teacher allegedly sided with the other students and shouted at her.
"This can happen to anyone when a group gangs up to bully someone. It started with one boy, then four or five others joined in. Amaira was trying to explain herself while the others laughed at her. The teacher should have recognised those distress signals instead of ignoring them," the mother said.
The parents said the newly released CCTV footage shows Amaira approaching her class teacher several times over a span of minutes before her emotional state visibly deteriorated.
'AMAIRA'S BODY LANGUAGE CHANGED'
They claimed her body language reflected fear, anxiety and helplessness as she repeatedly tried to explain what had happened, while other students surrounded the teacher and continued speaking about her.
Shivani said her daughter displayed multiple signs that she was in distress but none of them were acted upon, alleging that Amaira eventually ran out of the classroom in panic, yet no teacher followed her or attempted to stop her before she reached the fourth floor.
Describing the footage she later watched, Shivani said she found it difficult to recognise her daughter. "I really think she is not my Amaira. Something had taken over her. She was in a state of hurry and panic and thought it was better to die than remain in that situation," she alleged.
FAMILY STILL SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS
Amaira's father, Vijay Meena, said the family was still searching for answers about what exactly transpired inside the classroom before the tragedy.
He questioned the explanation allegedly given by the class teacher, claiming it did not match Amaira's visible reaction captured on CCTV.
"We asked the teacher what Amaira had been telling her for nearly one-and-a-half hours. The explanation we received simply does not explain Amaira's shock. Everything is visible on the CCTV, yet no one is willing to tell us what really happened," Vijay said.
He further said the family still does not know whether Amaira intended to jump or was simply trying to escape the situation.
"We don't know if she wanted to fall from the second floor, if she just wanted to get hurt, or if she had developed tunnel vision where her only goal was to escape what she had been enduring," he said.
Shivani also appealed to parents to take complaints of bullying seriously instead of dismissing them outright.
She said parents should objectively examine allegations involving their children, understand the facts, counsel them appropriately and engage in constructive dialogue with the affected child's family so that such incidents can be prevented in future.
PARENTS ALLEGE POLICE INACTION
The parents have also alleged police inaction and demanded that stricter provisions of the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act be invoked against the school's principal and chairman, in addition to the class teacher.
Police have already named the school owner, principal and class teacher in the chargesheet under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to alleged criminal negligence.
The case had also prompted scrutiny from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), whose inspection committee flagged major lapses in student safety, supervision and anti-bullying mechanisms at the school.
Among the shortcomings highlighted were inadequate CCTV monitoring, the absence of a mandatory safety committee, failure to secure upper-floor railings and allegations that complaints of bullying over several months were not adequately addressed.
Meanwhile, Amaira’s parents continue to seek accountability from the school administration and investigating agencies while pressing for stronger legal action against those they believe failed to protect their daughter.
