The Puttur police arrested a student from Mangaluru for allegedly sending false WhatsApp messages about a lecturer’s death.

Vinuth N, a second year B.Com student at St Aloysius college was arrested a month after he sent a fake message about the death of Parameshwara Sharma, who had taught him at a PU college in Puttur two years ago.

Vinuth, a native of Bantwal taluk confessed to the offence.

Kevin Mendonsa reports for The Times of India that Vinuth had invited Sharma for Teacher’s Day celebrations at the PU college two years ago.

But he claims that Sharma not only turned down the request but also humiliated him.

As preparations for Teacher’s Day celebrations were being discussed in an alumni WhatsApp group recently, Vinuth sent a message that the lecturer had died of cardiac arrest.

The message soon circulated in other groups, leading to Sharma’s students, friends and relatives rushing to his residence on hearing about his death.

Sharma, who denied knowledge that Vinuth had been his student, filed a police complaint. A case has been filed against Vinuth for criminal intimidation under Sections 506 and 507.

“Vinuth wasn't my student. I don't remember this invite at all. Since an FIR has been registered against the boy, the college management will decide the next course of action,” he told TOI.