Kerala Crime Branch To Probe Death of Female Student in Private Engineering College

Kottayam, June 7: After tense atmosphere prevailed in a private engineering college here following the alleged suicide by a female student, the Kerala government on Wednesday intervened in the matter and ordered a probe into her death by the Crime Branch.

The decision for a Crime Branch probe was taken after Higher Education Minister R Bindu and Minister for Cooperation and Registration V N Vasavan met with representatives of the college students, the management of the institution and the Parent Teacher Association (PTA). Tamil Nadu Shocker: Two Sisters Die by Suicide After Parents Disapprove of Interfaith Relationships in Trichy.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Bindu said several decisions have been arrived at and primary among them was a probe by Crime Branch into the student's death.

The minister also said presently no action can be taken against those persons who, according to the students, were in some way connected with the death of the student -- Shraddha Satheesh, a resident of Ernakulam. "Any action would be subject to the outcome of the Crime Branch probe," she said.

The Crime Branch probe was welcomed by the victim's family. At the same time, the family said that if the investigation was not carried out properly, they will move the courts seeking a proper probe.

The other decisions that were taken were that no disciplinary or vindictive action would be taken against the students who participated in the protests, the counselling and student grievance redressal mechanisms would be strengthened, and the management would consider having an elected students union, the minister said.

"It was stressed upon that the counselling and grievance redressal mechanisms have to be strengthened and made more accessible for the students," Bindu said.

Regarding the students' demand for removal of the chief warden of the girls hostel, the management sought time to discuss it with their superiors, especially the bishop, as she is a nun, the minister said.

Vasavan, who also spoke to the reporters, said that in view of these decisions, the students agreed to call off their protest and the college is expected to reopen from June 12.

For the last couple of days, students at the private college had mounted a strong protest against the management of the institution after the alleged death by suicide of a female second-year degree student on June 2, and accused them of trying to suppress the issue by temporarily closing down the institution.

On Monday, the Students' Federation of India (SFI), the students' wing of the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala, had marched to the college in Kanjirappally near here protesting against the alleged suicide of the student.

Shraddha Satheesh was found hanging inside her hostel room on June 2. Students have alleged that the college authorities took her to the hospital saying she fell unconscious.

They had also alleged that some teachers were harassing the students in the name of internal tests. The college management had said they do not know why the student committed such an act.

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