16-year-old student dies by suicide in Hyderabad; kin allege harassment by college management
Hyderabad, Mar 1: A 16-year-old student allegedly died by suicide here even as his family accused the college management and some members of the teaching faculty of harassing him and held them responsible for his death, police said on Wednesday.
A suicide note purportedly written by the teenager was found in which the boy also mentioned that the principal and some teaching faculty were inflicting mental torture on him.
The student, studying first-year intermediate at a private college in Narsingi near here, was found hanging in the classroom of the residential educational institute on Tuesday night by some students after they did not find him in the hostel room, they said.
The students said they carried him, took a lift and rushed him to a nearby hospital, where the doctors declared him brought dead.
In the suicide note, the boy apologised to his parents, elder brother over the act (suicide) and asked them to take serious action against those who harassed him.
Telangana Education Minister P Sabita Indra Reddy asked the officials concerned to enquire into the incident and submit a report, official sources said.
The latest incident is the third such one involving students ending their lives that were reported in Telangana over the past few days over different reasons, after a woman post-graduate medical student and a woman engineering student allegedly died by suicide in separate incidents in Warangal district.
In the latest instance, the boy's family members, relatives and some students organisations held protests at different locations today alleging that the college management was responsible for his death and that he was mentally harassed.
The boy's elder brother told media that one teaching faculty used to regularly beat his brother.
The protesters were seen squatting on the road and raising slogans "We want justice".
The boy's father, in a complaint lodged with police, said on Tuesday evening, he met his son at the college hostel, spoke to him and gave some medicines as his son was suffering from skin allergy.
The complainant further stated that his son was reprimanded and beaten by two teachers and a warden for not "studying well", though he had told his son to keep those things aside and to study well.
Late on Tuesday night, the complainant received information that his son took the extreme step following which he lodged a complaint against the college management, principal and some others of causing abetment to commit suicide after which a case was registered under relevant Indian Penal Code sections and took up investigation, police said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
T'gana RTC strike: Talks between govt, employees successful
Hyderabad (PTI): Talks between employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) who were on strike and the state government concluded successfully on Friday as the government agreed to the key demands of the workmen.
Following a day-long marathon of talks between the leaders of the employees' Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the cabinet sub-committee, the government announced after midnight that it acceded to the demands, including a merger of RTC with the government, 11 per cent pay revision and elections to the employees' unions.
A committee comprising officials and employee leaders would be appointed over the merger of RTC with the government, it said.
The RTC management has also agreed to address the remaining issues as well, an official release said.
The employees would call off their strike and the RTC buses would hit the roads shortly, it said.
The employees had been on an indefinite strike since April 22 over a series of demands, including the merger of RTC with the government.
Earlier in the day, a driver of the RTC, who attempted suicide on April 23 during the strike, died at a hospital here in the early hours of Friday.
Shankar Goud, a 55-year-old driver, set himself ablaze by pouring petrol at Narsampet in Warangal district when the employees were staging a protest on Thursday in support of their demands.
Goud suffered serious burns, was initially admitted to a state-run hospital in Warangal, and later shifted to a super-speciality hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment.
"He succumbed (to injuries) at about 1.30 am on Friday," a senior official said.
The driver’s body was taken to his relative’s village, Muttojipet in Warangal district, for funeral rites.
Tension prevailed in Muttojipet as his family members and RTC employees attempted to take the body to the Narsampet bus station, where he worked, to enable his colleagues to pay their last respects. However, police did not permit this, citing law-and-order concerns.
This led to a deadlock before the funeral could proceed.
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticised the Telangana government for not allowing the body to be taken to the Narsampet bus station.
Kumar, Minister of State (Home), visited Muttojipet village in Warangal district, where the funeral was held, and paid homage to Goud.
“They (family members) want to take the body to the bus depot for five minutes. Is the RTC bus depot in Pakistan or Bangladesh? They are emotionally attached to taking the body there. The government is hurting sentiments and creating fear among RTC employees,” Kumar told reporters.
He also expressed anger at the police for not allowing the body to be taken to the bus station and staged a protest, according to a release from his office.
RTC employees and BJP workers attempted to take the mortal remains in an ambulance to Narsampet, but were stopped by the police.
Later, after discussions with the police, the family members and RTC employees agreed to conduct the funeral in the village.
Sanjay Kumar, stating he would abide by the family’s decision, left the village after the funeral was conducted there.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh, a house, and a government job would be provided to the kin of Goud.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the employee’s death and conveyed deep condolences to the grieving family, according to the release.
The RTC employees’ JAC had earlier announced an agitation programme from April 24 to 29, including silent marches and submission of memorandums to MLAs and other leaders.
