Kerala nursing student allegedly kills self, family accuses college management of harassment

A 20-year-old student from Kerala was found dead in her college hostel on Tuesday morning. 

 

Sreekutty, a second year student of nursing at JPHN situated in Kottayam district was found hanging from the ceiling of the common bathroom at her college hostel. The student is a native of Idukki district. 

 

The police say that prima facie, it is a case of suicide. However, Thaliyolaparambu Sub-Inspector told TNM that they have not recovered a suicide note yet.

 

Sreekutty's friends had found her hanging in the common bathroom at around 7:45 am on Tuesday and immediately alerted the police. Her friends had to break open the door, after Sreekutty failed to respond to their repeated calls. 

 

Sreekutty's body has been sent to Kottayam  Medical College hospital for post-mortem and the police have registered a case of unnatural death. 

 

Meanwhile, her family has alleged that Sreekutty was forced to commit suicide following repeated harassment at the hands of the college management. 

 

"The parents have not named anyone, but have told us that there were certain issues regarding the quality of mess food. Sreekutty had previously got into an argument over this and the family allege that their daughter was harassed by the management over this," the Sub-Inspector said. 

 

Assuring that a case will be filed against the college management if they are found to be at fault, the sub-inspector said that the investigation is on. 

 

Earlier in April, Arshak, a 20-year-old engineering at Vellappally Natesan College of Engineering at Kayamkulam in Alappuzha district had tried to kill himself, following alleged harassment by the management. He had left notes in his hostel room that read- I quit- before cutting his veins. 

 

In January this year, the death of Nehru College student Jishnu Pranoy at his hostel room following alleged harassment had triggered massive outrage in the state. After months of struggle, his family members had event taken to the streets demanding the arrest of all the accused including the college Chairman.