Three TN students end life; college under lens

Controversy shrouded the death of three girl students of a private naturopathy college in Tamil Nadu, with the police registering a case of suicide and the victims’ parents alleging foul play by the college management.

Police sources here said the bodies of three second year students of SVS Naturopathy and Yoga College at Bangaram near Chinna Salem in Villupuram district of the state, were fished out from an open farm well located near the college campus on Saturday night.

The victims have been identified as T Monisha (19) of Chennai, A Saranya (19) of Kancheepuram and V Priyanka (19) of Tiruvarur.

A two-page suicide note, which was left near the well, said the victims took the extreme step following harassment by the college authorities, including collection of exorbitant fees.

However, since the hands and legs of the girls were tied and the bodies sustained injuries, it was suspected that they might have been murdered.

Soon after the incident, parents of the victims alleged that the girls were murdered by the authorities for questioning the lack of basic facilities and demanded the arrest of the college officials.

Authorities have sealed the college following the incident. Though police have not arrested anyone related to incident, they have picked up four persons from the college for interrogation.

The incident comes barely four months after six students of the same college allegedly attempted suicide by drinking poison in front of the Villupuram Collector office in October 2015 to protest against the management for not taking any action on their complaints.

Health Minister C Vijayabhaskar said a complete investigation has been ordered into the incident to ascertain the reason for the death of the students.

Meanwhile, various leaders of political parties, including the MDMK, PMK and the Left parties condemned the incident and demanded a detailed probe into it, besides payment of compensation to their families.