Tension prevailed at the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) Sunday after the suicide of a Ph.D. student, Mudassir Kamran (29), on campus the previous night. The death triggered protests in the native place of the student, Pulwama district in Kashmir, as rumours arose that he had been picked up by the police for questioning in connection with the Dilsukhnagar blasts.
Following the protests in Kashmir, Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad spoke to chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, which was followed by a consultation between the DGPs of the two states. The Hyderabad police then made arrangements to send the body to Kashmir by air Sunday.
Police said Kamran seemed to have taken his own life due to differences with his friend and fellow EFLU student Wasim Salim.
It came to light Sunday that Salim had on several previous occasions formally complained against Kamran to the university authorities, stating that he was being harassed and tortured by the latter. This was confirmed by vice-chancellor Prof Sunaina Singh, who was present at the Gandhi Hospital morgue along with police officials Sunday morning.
University officials said Salim had been complaining about Kamran’s behaviour since July 2012. It prompted EFLU proctor Prof Vizra to send a memo to Kamran, warning him to mend his ways. However, the problem did not stop.
Another complaint against Kamran was lodged with the proctor in January, and he informed the Osmania University (OU) police station on Friday, after which a police patrol vehicle was sent to fetch both students to the station.
The students were accompanied by chief warden Vedasharan. At the police station, Salim gave a written complaint against Kamran once again that he was being mentally and physically harassed. Sub-inspector Madhusudhan Reddy, however, counselled them and sent them back. No FIR was registered. Vedasharan also rendered in writing that the issue would be resolved amicably. Eyewitnesses said other students also went to the police station to complain against Kamran.
On Saturday, students said they saw Kamran going for the evening prayer, and later found his room locked. Sensing something amiss, they broke open the door of his room and found that he had hanged himself.
That night, some students lodged a complaint at the OU police station alleging that Kamran committed suicide as he was harassed by the proctor. The student’s death has created a flutter back in his home town and in EFLU. DCP P Jaya Lakshmi said an investigation is being conducted to see if Kamran left any clue to the cause of his suicide. Kamran’s body was sent back home to his village in Pulwama. In Pulwama, protesters rained stones at the police, while student groups in EFLU have called for a two-day bandh on campus.