In a tragic incident, a first-year diploma student at a college in Andhra Pradesh died by suicide due to the alleged sexual harassment by faculty members, reported ANI.
According to police, she died by suicide on March 28 at midnight.
Reportedly, the student wrote a message and sent it to family members, alleging that she took the step because of sexual harassment by the faculty members in college.
Reportedly, the student penned a message and sent it to family members, asserting that she took the action due to alleged sexual harassment by college faculty members.
She also alleged that a number of other female students in college like her are being sexually harassed through photos.
The victim’s note additionally detailed that the faculty members sexually assaulted her, coercing her into silence by threatening to expose compromising photos and videos if she reported the abuse to the authorities.
Authorities disclosed that the college hostel staff notified the student’s parents of her disappearance around 9 pm on Thursday.
Following the college staff’s awareness of the incident, the student was promptly taken to the hospital, as reported by the police.
The victim’s brother toled ANI on the incident and said, “She wrote a message and sent it to the family members, saying that she took the step because of sexual harassment. The college faculty members are involved in it.” “In the note, she said that she took the bold step so her death would bring the issue to the limelight and that it would bring justice to the other girls who are suffering from the issue. That is what she mentioned in the last text message,” said the deceased’s brother.
He also mentioned that when the deceased’s family attempted to reach out to the college authorities, they were informed that the authorities were preoccupied with a campaign and assured that the process would be conducted. However, the grieving family did not receive any further updates on the matter from them.
Adding further, he said, “The college has said that she died by suicide from the college building, but we could not find any blood marks, fractures or any kind of injuries on the body,” claimed the brother of the deceased.
“My initial doubt is that the college authorities informed the family around 9:30 pm that she was missing. She was found dead around 1 or 2 am. A police officer came and informed us that he checked the CCTV footage after her death. Why can’t the police check the CCTV footage between 9.30 and 1.30? What were they doing in between these 4 hours?” The deceased’s father expressed his grief over his daughter’s death, saying that those responsible for his daughter’s death should be severely punished.
The grieving father has accused the educational institution’s management of negligence, holding them responsible for his daughter’s death.
Students from the college gathered in front of the institution, staging a protest to advocate for justice on behalf of the victim.
A police official, commenting on the situation, stated, “We have filed a case under POCSO and the Anti-Ragging Act sections. Our investigation into the matter is ongoing.” Further updates on the case are anticipated.
(With inputs from ANI)