GKVK student found dead after alleged ragging

A 21-year-old undergraduate student at the University of Agricultural Sciences was found dead under mysterious circumstances at the railway track that criss-crosses the GKVK campus.

Gagan, from Gauribidanur, Kolar, is suspected to have jumped before a moving train on Tuesday night. A first-year BSc (Agriculture) student, he stayed in the university hostel and may have been a victim of ragging.

In a police complaint, his parents said he was “routinely ragged” by senior students and that he found the “torture” unbearable. Gagan’s uncle Mallesh confirmed that his nephew had told his parents about senior students harassing him.

Gagan had scored top marks in both SSLC and PUC exams and had secured a government seat in the BSc (Agriculture) admission, Mallesh added.

A senior railway police officer said a detailed investigation was underway to determine what drove Gagan to suicide. His classmates, seniors and the college staff would be questioned, the officer added.

A case of unnatural death has been registered.