A first year BA English student from Kollam’s Fatima Mata college, took her own life after she was caught copying in an examination. According to the police, Rakhi Krishnan (19), who had been writing her semester exam paper on Wednesday was caught copying and was taken to the faculty room.

“She was taken out of the hall by the invigilation squad and asked to sit outside. She later left the room saying that she wanted to use the toilet,” SI of Kollam town police station had told TNM. Rakhi went to the railway tracks, where she killed herself.

Following her death, several students protested by the gate of Fatima Mata alleging that harassment by faculty members after she was caught played a part in Rakhi’s death. The State Youth Commission too has taken a suo motu case against the college after the incident with the chairperson of the commission asking the Kollam police chief to investigate the issue and submit a report within a week.

The police have filed a case and are investigating any foul play involved in Rakhi’s death.

“The police have filed a FIR in the incident under section 174 of the CrPC and an RDO had immediately come to make an inquest,” the SI added.

Section 174 of the CrPC states that whenever an officer in charge of a police station receives information about a suicide, accident or death which raises reasonable involvement of another person in the death, shall inform the nearest executive magistrate to hold inquests.

“We are yet to hold a detailed questioning of the students and the professors of the college to understand what exactly happened,” the SI said.

Rakhi is the daughter of Radhakrishnan from Mayyanad Kollam. Her body has currently been kept at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital where an autopsy will be conducted on Friday.