While the unfortunate suicide of a student of Nehru Engineering College, Thrissur, has left many grappling for answers, protests intensified across the state of Kerala demanding justice for Jishnu Pranoy.
Various student unions in the state have come together and called for a statewide education bandh on Tuesday, January 10 demanding a fair probe into the suicide that has left the state in shock.
Jishnu, an 18-year-old, was a first semester student of Nehru College, Pampady. He committed suicide by hanging in the bathroom of the college hostel on Friday.
Jishnu's parents and friends allege that the student took the extreme step following repeated harassment by the authorities at the college over copying in a semester examination. However, the college has denied the charges stating that he was only warned and informed of the implications of his actions.
Meanwhile, C. Raveendranath, Kerala minister for education, said that he has taken note of the current situation and appropriate action will be taken once investigation into the matter concludes. The Youth Commission of the state has also taken suo motu cognizance of the incident.
On Monday, students' organisations in the state, including the Student Federation of India (SFI) and Kerala Students Union (KSU) marched to the Nehru Engineering College and the policemen stationed at the college had to resort to lathicharge as the protests turned violent.
After the news of Jishnu's suicide broke, many former and current students of the college have come forward and levelled charges against the college authorities. They allege the college has always taken punitive measures against students, sometimes even caning them.
M Vijin, the state secretary of SFI, expressing a strong disapproval, promised that they will target the "concentration camps" in colleges until they cease to exist.
