Pathanamthitta(Kerala) (PTI): A Kerala court on Wednesday granted bail to expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in the third sexual assault case against him, in which he was arrested earlier this month.

The bail was granted by the Pathanamthitta District Sessions Court, which was considering an appeal filed by the MLA against a judicial magistrate's court that had denied him relief, stating that the allegations against him were serious and that he had "similar antecedents".

The third sexual assault case was registered against the Palakkad MLA under Sections 376 (rape) and 506(1) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), following a complaint lodged by a woman from Kottayam district on 8 January. He was arrested in the case on January 11 in Palakkad.

The Kerala High Court and a sessions court in Thiruvananthapuram had earlier protected the MLA from arrest in the first two sexual assault cases, which were registered based on complaints from two different women.

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Bengaluru (PTI): A second-year Pre-University Course student allegedly died by suicide at her residence here, hours after the exam results were announced, police said on Friday.

Tanushree (17), a science student, reportedly failed in three subjects, which is suspected to be the trigger behind her taking such an extreme step, they said.

However, no suicide note was recovered from the spot, except her hall ticket, which was found lying on the bed.

According to police, the incident came to light on Thursday around 3.30 pm, shortly after the results were announced.

She hung herself from the ceiling fan when no one was at home. Her mother had gone to work, a senior police officer said.

Citing preliminary inquiry, the officer said it is a clear-cut case of suicide. She was apparently distressed over failing in three subjects and had also called her friends to discuss the same.

When she did not respond to their calls and messages later, her friends decided to check on her, he said.

Based on her mother's complaint, a case of unnatural death has been filed, with Hebbal police investigation indicating it to be a case of suicide, police added.

(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the state’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416.)