Police in Madurai have booked Vimala, the headmistress of a government higher secondary school, on charges of abetment of suicide in connection with the death of P Nisanthi, a 16-year-old Dalit student. Nisanthi died by suicide on August 25. A case was initially registered as suicide and later altered to abetment, with Vimala's name included in the case.

According to police and Nisanthi's uncle, P Sangili, the incident occurred on August 24 when Nisanthi went to the school with her mother, P Thavamani, seeking admission. During the admission interview, Vimala allegedly made a casteist remark and ordered Nisanthi out of the school premises after she told her mother not to keep her hands folded. The exact nature of the remark and the sequence of events have not been detailed in the report.