Nursing student death case: NHRC issues notice to Kerala govt, state police chief

New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Thursday said it has issued a notice to the Kerala government and the state's police chief over reports that a nursing student died after three months in coma following an alleged suicide attempt in her hostel room over charges of harassment by a warden in Kasaragod district.

The NHRC in a statement observed that the content of the news report, if true, raises a "serious issue of violation of human rights" of the victim.

The NHRC has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that on March 22, "a third-year nursing student died after three months in coma following a suicide attempt in the hostel room amidst allegations of harassment by the warden in Kasaragod district of Kerala", it said.

The student was initially admitted to a private hospital in Mangaluru before being shifted to Kozhikode Medical College where she remained in a critical condition till her death, the statement said.

The right panel said it has, therefore, issued notices to the chief secretary and the director general of police of Kerala, seeking a report within four weeks.

The fellow students have reportedly accused the hostel management of "harassment of the student at workplace", according to the media report carried on March 23.

They have alleged that the deceased was "subjected to mental harassment by the hostel warden even when she was not well", it said.