A female college student's death in Kerala has sparked protests in the state. Students at a private engineering college in Kottayam mounted a strong protest against the management of the institution where Shraddha, the second-year degree student, died on June 2, accusing them of trying to suppress the issue by temporarily closing down the institution.
A large number of students were seen protesting and shouting slogans outside the main college building inside the campus, while a large police contingent in riot gear was deployed to keep them in check.
A resident of Ernakulam, Shraddha Satheesh was found hanging inside her hostel room on Friday. Students alleged that the teachers used to mentally harass her.
"HoD, one teacher who seized the phone, and two other teachers are responsible for this death. The teachers are harassing the students in the name of internals. We have complained to the management numerous times," the students alleged. "She was upset after she came from the HoD's room. She said she wanted to die," a protesting student told the media.
The students also said the college authorities took her to the hospital saying she fell unconscious.
The college administration has been in a war of words with the protesting students over the incident. The college management said they do not know why the student committed such an act.
Meanwhile, the students alleged that the administration was trying to suppress their protest by closing down the institution and asking them to vacate hostels so that everyone goes home. "They are calling up our parents and asking them to take us home," students told TV channels.
On Monday, the Students Federation of India (SFI), the student's wing of the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala also took out a march on Monday to the engineering college.
Police stopped the SFI march at the gate of the college but the students managed to overpower the security cordon and entered the premises where they staged a sit-in protest inside the office building.
Meanwhile, police said they have registered a case in the matter and a probe is on.
