Student ends life at Kurnool Medical College in Andhra, parents allege ragging
Student ends life at Kurnool Medical College in Andhra, parents allege ragging

Student ends life at Kurnool Medical College in Andhra, parents allege ragging

The body of 19-year-old Komma Harsha Praneeth Reddy was found by his hostel mates, who informed the police.

In a tragic incident, a second-year student at the Government Medical College hostel in Kurnool was found dead on Friday morning after he allegedly hung himself from the ceiling.

The body of 19-year-old Komma Harsha Praneeth Reddy was found by his hostel mates, who informed the police. Officials later shifted the body to the mortuary for an autopsy.  

The police said that Harsha went into his room at around 11:30 pm on Thursday and did not answer repeated knocks on his door later. Worried friends who managed to open a window found him hanging and immediately notified the college management. 

While the management led by Principal Dr Ramprasad, said that he might have committed suicide due to academic stress, his family alleged that he was ragged by seniors.

Speaking to reporters, Harsha's father, Ramanujaya Reddy, said, "My son was always a brilliant student. If you want, you can check his past academic record. He would always give me courage and extend that courage to his friends. Such a boy, they are claiming, has committed suicide. This is not suicide. This is murder. The college management has killed my boy."

He also alleged that Harsha was physically assaulted by his seniors.

Accusing the management of being silent, his father added, "He told me many times that seniors were ragging him and he was bearing it. I don't know what they did in the night, especially during exam time they might have disturbed him. We want justice."

Meanwhile, Dr Ramprasad denied these allegations and said that everything would be made clear after the post-mortem report. He also said that the college did not tolerate ragging in any form adding that Harsha never filed an official complaint and was a sincere student.

The police have registered a case and said that further investigation is ongoing.

However, this was the same college, where juniors had approached the police in September last year, alleging severe ragging by seniors.

According to the complaint, the seniors allegedly made the juniors wash clothes, clean bathrooms, and other such tasks, and thrashed them if they did not follow the orders. 

Those in need of counselling can contact Roshni, a suicide helpline operational every day from 11 am to 9 pm. Roshni can be reached at  040 66202000/2001.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The News Minute
www.thenewsminute.com