KOTTAYAM: The students of the Amal Jyothi College of Engineering in Kanjirappally went on the warpath against the management on Tuesday over the alleged suicide of a 20-year-old female student of the institute.
Police stopped the agitating students who tried to barge into the college campus, resulting in a minor altercation. Shraddha Satheesh, a second-year Food Technology student, was found unresponsive in her hostel room on Friday night. Though she was rushed to a nearby hospital, her life couldn’t be saved.
Alleging that emotional harassment by teachers and the hostel warden had forced her to die by suicide, students launched a protest demanding action against the department head who seized Shraddha’s mobile phone and the hostel warden, who allegedly misled doctors by giving false details in the hospital. It is alleged that Shraddha took her own life after being reprimanded by college authorities for using a mobile phone inside the college laboratory.
As the protest grew in strength with major student organisations, SFI and KSU, taking up the issue, the management closed the college on Monday night and asked the students to vacate hostels the next day. However, students refused and continued their protest on Tuesday.
Government Chief Whip N Jayaraj’s mediation bid between the management and agitating students failed.
Shortly after the talks under the aegis of Jayaraj, who is also the local MLA, students closed the main gate of the college to prevent teachers and other staff members from leaving the campus, further escalating the tense situation. Their demand was to permit the girls to stay back in the hostel. The management relented, easing the tension.
Shraddha’s parents and college management have filed separate complaints with the Kottayam district police chief demanding a detailed inquiry into the suicide. College authorities have also handed over Shraddha’s mobile phone and laptop to the police.
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“A case has been registered on the basis of the complaint and an investigation is underway. It is too early to comment on the matter,” said K Karthik, the district police chief. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the college management said they will cooperate with any investigation into the death of Shraddha. They also requested to desist from putting teachers and hostel authorities in the dock by raising “unwanted and false allegations”.The State Youth Welfare Commission has initiated a suo moto case in connection with the death of the student.
KTU VC seeks report
Kerala Technological University Vice-Chancellor Saji Gopinath has called for a report on the current state of affairs at the college, as well as the circumstances surrounding the student’s suicide. In line with this directive, KTU has informed that Syndicate members G Sanjeev and Dean (Academic) Vinu Thomas will visit the college campus on Wednesday.
Ministers to mediate
Higher Education Minister R Bindu and Cooperation Minister V N Vasavan will visit the Amal Jyothi College of Engineering on Wednesday to hold talks with the agitating students and the college management.