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Teens to be referred to prosecutors for bullying

Dec 20 (NHK) - Police in Gifu City, central Japan, have decided to send papers to prosecutors for three junior high school boys suspected of coercion that may have led to a classmate's death.

The third-year junior high student died after falling from a condominium in July this year. The police believe he committed suicide because a note suggesting he was bullied was found at his home.

The police discovered that on the day before he died, the student was forced by three classmates to kneel on the floor and stick his head in a toilet.

One of the three is being referred to prosecutors on separate charges of extortion and assault for allegedly taking money from the student and hitting him.

The bullying reportedly began around April, and escalated for about a month before the student's death.

A third-party panel of the municipal board of education plans to compile a report on the matter on Thursday.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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