Continuing the spate of suicides within college campuses, a 19-year-old student was found dead in her hostel room at the SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur campus, near Chennai on Saturday.
Ayushi Rana, a BTech student, was found dead by fellow students who looked for her when she did not come out of her room for a long time on Saturday. Speaking to TNM, the Maraimalai Nagar police said that Ayushi had not left any note behind, that could have explained the reason behind her decision to kill herself.
“Ayushi had returned to her hostel late on Friday night and was questioned by the warden. The warden had also called her parents to inform them about Ayushi coming in late. After that her parents called Ayushi and spoke to her,” a police officer from the station told TNM. He also added that Ayushi and her parents were already in disagreement over her wish for shifting to an accommodation outside of the college campus.
This is the fourth student suicide reported from the SRM campus near Chennai since the beginning of the academic year 2019-20. While two students killed themselves in May 2019, another B Tech student killed himself allegedly due to arrears in his exams. Following the suicides of three students within a span of 60 days inside the campus, the DGP of Tamil Nadu JK Tripathi had ordered for a CBCID probe into the suicides on July 17, 2019. The CBCID police had also conducted searches in the college campus in August as a part of the investigation into the suicides. A team of 30 officers had also seized two DVRs, some documents and had also questioned around 25 witnesses in relation to the three suicides.
TNM’s attempt to reach SRM Institute of Science and Technology for a comment did not succeed.
If you or anyone you know is feeling depressed or suicidal, consider reaching out to one of the following helplines:
Tamil Nadu:
State health department suicide helpline number - 104
Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre - 044-24640050
Telangana:
Telangana government suicide prevention toll free number - 104
Roshni- 040-66202000, 66202001
SEVA- 09441778290, 040 - 27504682 (between 9 AM and 7 PM)
Karnataka:
Sahai : 24-hour helpline numbers: 080- 65000111, 080-65000222
Kerala:
Maithri helpline - 0484-2540530
Chaithram helpline: 0484-2361161
Both are 24-hour helpline numbers.
Andhra Pradesh:
Life Suicide Prevention Helpline No.78930-78930
Roshni -
Helpline 1: 9166202000
Helpline 2: 9127848584