Srinagar, May 27 -- Fourteen-year-old Numan Farooq Sofi, an orphan raised by his deaf father and older siblings, was found dead in his home earlier this week. His family says he died by suicide after being harassed by his school, repeatedly, over tattoos on his body.

He was a student at Kashmir Harvard Educational Institute, a well-known private school in the city. His sister, Mehwish, says the pressure had become unbearable.

"They made us come to the school many times," she said. "They said his tattoos were a problem. They wanted an affidavit, a promise he wouldn't do it again. But he was already trying to remove them."

She pauses, then adds, "He had gone for four tattoo removal sittings. What more did they want?"

In the alleyway out...