Visakhapatnam college student commits suicide over alleged sexual harassment by faculty members

VISAKHAPATNAM: A first-year diploma student at a college in Andhra Pradesh died by suicide over alleged sexual harassment by college faculty members.

According to police, the deceased a first-year diploma student at a college, 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.

She also alleged that many other female students like her are being sexually harassed through photos. The note by the victim also stated that the faculty members sexually assaulted her by threatening to tarnish the student’s honour by posting compromising photos and videos of her if she took the matter up with the police.

#WATCH | Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh: PM Palem inspector Rama Krishna says, "We registered the case under POCSO and the ragging Act sections. We are investigating the case…" (01.04) https://t.co/tWoE869zVJ pic.twitter.com/M3MhWNulH4

— ANI (@ANI) April 2, 2024

Police said that the college hostel staff informed the student’s parents that the deceased had been missing since around 9 pm on Thursday. The student was rushed to the hospital shortly after the college staff became aware of the incident, according to the police.

The victim’s brother 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”.

He further said that when the deceased’s family tried to connect with the college authorities, they said that they were busy with some campaigning and that they would conduct the process but the bereaved family did not receive any updates on the matter from them. “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.

Further, he said, “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 pm and 1.30 am? What were they doing in between these four 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 bereaved father has alleged that his daughter died due to the negligence of the management of the educational institution. Students of the college also staged a protest in front of the college to demand justice for the victim.

A Police official speaking on the matter said, “We registered the case under POCSO and the ragging Act sections. We are investigating the case”. Further details on the matter are awaited. (ANI)