Mangaluru: NITK student ends life; protest by students, professor blamed for death
Mangaluru, Nov 18: A 20-year old student of the National Institute of Technology-Karnataka (NITK) here jumped to death from his department building, sparking off a protest by other students who alleged constant nagging by a professor forced him to take his life, police said.
After the suicide Saturday, students in the institute gathered on the campus in large numbers and raised slogans against the professor who had allegedly humiliated the third year mechanical engineering student Anand Pathak, they said.
Pathak was running short of attendance and was often pulled up by the professor who had told him that he would fail in the semester examination, the students alleged.
The protesting students demanded suspension of the professor and setting up of a committee to enquire into the issue, police said adding investigations were on.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
