Dhaka, Sept. 1 -- Coming up with reasons (read excuses) for taking leave requires a certain amount of ingenuity even for those not averse to spinning a yarn or two. However, what happened in a Kanpur school earlier this month defies belief.

Displaying mischievousness, a class 8 student sought half-day leave on account of his "own death," and the principal, perhaps unthinkingly, granted him permission in writing, reports hindustan times.

In his application addressed to the principal, the student wrote that he (the student) passed away at 10am that day and needed to go home early. He urged the principal to allow him take half-day leave.

The incident was not immediately known as the student initially kept the instance to himself. Later, h...