HYDERABAD: A poverty-stricken M.Pharmacy student committed suicide here on Tuesday after the college management allegedly refused to return his certificates. The student allegedly wanted to drop out of the college in the middle of the academic year and take up a job to support his family which is in dire financial straits.
“Orai I am attempting suicide. I love my relatives and my father. Bless me all,” was the SMS sent by 23-year-old N Venkatesh around 8.30 am on Tuesday to his cousin and some close friends before he drank poison. A first year student of M Pharmacy at Sri Indu College near Ibrahimpatnam in RR district, Venkatesh hailed from Krishnaraopet of Velgatur mandal in Karimnagar district.
Venkatesh reportedly went to a lake near Ibrahimpatnam and consumed poison mixed in a soft drink.
Frantic efforts by his relatives and friends to contact him failed as he had switched off his mobile. After a few hours of search, his body was found near the lake.
The incident sparked a wave of anger among the college students who staged a dharna at the college with Venkatesh’s body, and ransacked the college office, damaging furniture and records.
Police rushed to the spot and resorted to mild lathicharge to disperse the students. A police picket was posted at the college.
Venkatesh’s parents alleged, the college management had asked him to pay Rs 2.50 lakh to return his certificates, inspector K Ram Kumar said, adding, “Venkatesh had approached a consultancy recently for a job and was asked to submit his certificates for the same.”