Nursing students threaten suicide over ‘harassment’ by college principal
CHENNAI: One of the premier nursing institutes in the city is facing allegations about harassment and human rights violations from the firstyear students and some teachers. A first-year tutor/coordinator Hena Simon at the CSI Hospital's School of Nursing attempted suicide after allegedly being strangled by the principal. After the incident was posted on social media, students claim that they have been refrained from meeting or speaking to any visitors or have any kind of contact with outsiders.
When in hospital after consuming 300 units of insulin, Hena received an audio from her students sobbing due to the harassment they are currently facing at the institution from the principal Amudha Sundari. She then decided to get discharged against medical advice. “The suicide attempt was to make sure the harassment ends with my life,” she says. Another audio was also released on Sunday by the students stating that they would commit suicide if no action was taken against the principal. Hena was terminated by the institution on Monday.
'Students living like prisoners'
According to several videos released by the activist Beula Poornima and Hena, the students state that they aren't allowed to go out of the premises to purchase their daily essentials such as sanitary pads; have been ridiculed and humiliated due to their backgrounds; a doctor molesting them; and bed bugs found on their mattress. "It is like a jail for them," says Beula. They claim that 34 of the first-year students were locked inside the hostel with no means of contacting anyone. However, the management has denied any such incident. "The students cannot just simply go out as they please.
They need to first get permission before going out. Otherwise, we will be held responsible just as any other college," says a spokesperson from the institution. The activists also claim that parents of 18 students were called immediately to discuss about the issues on the pretext of a student committing suicide and their ward going missing. The principal, however, did not comment on the issue. Jeevan Stephen, a CSI member, says that the first-year students are new to the system and hence, are not aware of the rules, which is why the students have come out now with such allegations. But he supports them and says that the students should be allowed some freedom.
Executive meeting to be held
A meeting with the management staff was held on Sunday by the Bishop and chairman of the institution Prasanna Kumar Samuel. Hena says no first-year students and coordinators were included in the meeting. “The Bishop spoke only to the staff and the second and third year students. The first-year students were threatened to write an apology letter or they will not be able to write the examinations.
" But the management claims that the meeting was held with the first-year students, medical superintendent and treasurer. An executive meeting by CSI diocese is likely to be held on Tuesday. A board member of CSI Hospital, says, "We have been receiving complaints of harassment by the principal since two and half years after Amudha joined.
She is just frustrated because she wanted to merge the college with the nursing college in Chikkaballapur but it did not happen." Hena, who had worked in the nursing college between 2004 and 2009 and joined back in February this year, agrees that she had also not faced any such issues until the principal Amudha joined. The management was furious that the tutor had approached the media before they could form an enquiry team and investigate the matter. But Hena says that she was approached by the media after her suicide attempt. The management says that further action will be taken post the executive meeting.