Bengaluru: College student dies by suicide; three classmates booked for abetment
Bengaluru (PTI): A 22-year-old college student allegedly died by suicide, following which a case has been registered against three of his classmates on charges of abetment, police said on Wednesday.
The deceased, Arun C from Hassan, was found hanging from an iron rod with a saree at his home on July 11. He had returned home for the vacation after completing his eighth-semester exams, police said.
Arun was an architecture student at a private college in the city.
At the time of the incident, his parents—daily-wage labourers—were away at work. Police recovered a death note in which Arun did not hold anyone responsible for taking the extreme step.
The note did not mention the names of any classmates. Initially, a case of "unnatural death" was registered.
However, the case took a turn after Arun's parents approached the Madanayakanahalli police station with a complaint, accusing three of his classmates of "harassing" their son on a college WhatsApp group. They alleged this "harassment" led to his death.
In the FIR, the parents claimed Arun had been subjected to "mental harassment and humiliation" by the three classmates for over a year.
They allegedly sent "derogatory messages" about him in the class WhatsApp group, a fact later confirmed to the parents by two of Arun’s friends.
The complaint also mentioned that Arun had recorded a video expressing his distress and shared it in the class WhatsApp group shortly before his death—a detail the parents discovered only after his demise.
"Based on the complaint, we have registered an FIR against the three students under Sections 108 (abetment of suicide) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The matter is under investigation, and further legal action will follow based on the findings," a senior police officer said.
As part of the probe, the police will soon issue notices to Arun’s roommates, friends, classmates, and college authorities to ascertain the circumstances leading to his death.
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
