HYDERABAD: Osmania University, a key battleground during the separate Statehood movement, witnessed first suicide after the formation of Telangana, on Sunday.
A 21-year-old first year M.SC (Physics) student allegedly took his own life by hanging himself from the ceiling of his hostel bathroom in the university campus. The deceased was identified as E Murali, inmate of Maneru hostel room no 159. He was native of Doulapur village in Siddipet district.
While police claimed that the youngster had resorted to suicide as he was unable to cope with academic stress, OU students alleged that Murali had committed suicide because he was unemployed.
As the incident occurred exactly a day ahead of the Telangana Joint Action Committee’s (TJAC) Koluvula kai Kotlata meeting to be held here on Monday to highlight unemployment issue, tension prevailed at the campus on Sunday night. Protests by students rocked the campus forcing the police to deploy a large contingent of security forces at the university.
TJAC chairman M Kodandaram who rushed to the campus expressed doubts on the police version that Murali had committed suicide as he was unable to handle academic stress.
“Murali’s friends and hostel mates are claiming that the suicide note presented by the police was not genuine. As the young man was a talented student, the police version that academic stress forced him to commit suicide is not plausible,” he argued.
According to Kodandaram, Murali, who holds BSc BEd wanted to get a teacher job in the government. As the government was repeatedly postponing the teachers’ recruitment drive, his friends had felt that Murali committed suicide as he was not getting a government job.
“Murali’s friends say that the hand writing in the suicide note was not that of the deceased student. Moreover, being a brilliant student, Murali can write good English. But, in the letter, the sentences were written very poorly. All these issues are giving scope to suspect police role. A comprehensive probe must be ordered,” demanded Kodandaram.
Students hurled stones at police when they tried to enter the hostel to shift Murali’s body at around 12.30 am. The students also reportedly shut the doors of the hostel denying entry to forces and raised slogans.
According to police, Murali, who left the campus three days ago, was found hanging from the ceiling at his hostel bathroom. Hostel inmates then informed to the police.
“Minutes after we received information, the OU police visited the Maneru hostel and recovered the body. We found a suicide note in which the student stated that he was unable to concentrate on studies. Fearing over the ensuing exams, the student took extreme step,’’ said police.
The students and student union members squatted in front of Maneru hostel and alleged that Murali took such extreme step due to lack of government job opportunities. The students staged protest demanding `50 lakh compensation to family members of Murali.