An 18-year-old B.Tech student, Kalluri Nagalakshmi, committed suicide in Ongole, by hanging herself in her hostel room, after being questioned by the college management and the police about her friendship with a senior.

The incident took place in the early hours of Tuesday at the PACE Institute of Technology & Sciences.

Students of the institute and relatives of the girl staged a protest against the management at the college's entrance, for 'forcing' her to take this extreme step.

Nagalakshmi was reportedly in a relationship with a senior Sai Kumar, and was questioned by college authorities, who had also reported the matter to police.

The college officials stated that they just asked both of them to concentrate on studies but did not reprimand them. 

However, Nagalakshmi was worried that her family would not take it kindly if her friendship with Kumar was revealed to them.

“Had they not taken the matter to police, Lakshmi might not have resorted to taking her life,“ a relative told the Times of India.

The students and the relatives said that the management should have handled the issue in a sensible manner.

Meanwhile, another engineering student of a private college committed suicide in the state, after the college management allegedly harassed him.

According to a report in The Hindu, the student, identified as Harish (20), was found battling for life at the roadside of Moghili forest ghat section after he consumed pesticide. He died on the way to the Government Hospital at Chittoor.