Odisha: MBBS student hangs self, family alleges harassment

BHUBANESWAR: A third-year MBBS student of a City-based medical college under Mancheswar police limits allegedly hanged himself to death in his hostel room. The deceased identified as 21-year-old Nihar Ranjan Rout of Soro in Balasore district took the extreme step on Saturday evening.

As per reports, the friends of Rout knocked the door of his hostel room number-31 for dinner. But when he did not respond for over 20 minutes, they went to one of the skylights of the room and found him hanging from the ceiling fan. Later, they informed college authorities and police.

Informed family members of Rout rushed to the college hostel only to find him dead. They alleged that the Hi-Tech Medical College and Hospital authorities were harassing him to pay `eight lakh towards pending course fees, following which he took the extreme step. The student’s father, Narendra Kumar Rout, has lodged a complaint in this regard with Mancheswar police.

However, college authorities denied the allegations and said, “Rout’s academic performance was not at par and his attendance was also short. We never pressurise any student for paying the pending fee.”
“We organised a meeting of the parents whose academic performance was not satisfactory. The meeting was scheduled on April 23 and 24. Rout’s family members were also intimated about the meeting. Rout  was staying with two other students. One of the roommates of the  deceased had left for his home and the other roommate was studying with  his friends in room number-65,” said Hi-Tech Medical College and Hospital CEO Bhisma Rath.

“Rout committed suicide by hanging from a ceiling fan using a bed sheet. He was rushed to a hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead. Basing on the complaint of the deceased’s father, a case under Section-306 of IPC has been registered and investigation is on,” said Macheswar police.
On April 9, a Plus-III third year nursing student of the college had attempted to commit suicide by jumping from third floor of the building over alleged harassment by the institute’s authorities. The girl alleged that a canteen staffer of the college molested her on March 31 evening. However, the college officials claimed that the girl was not mentally stable. Police later arrested a canteen staffer in the case.

Past case

On April 9, a Plus-III third year nursing student of the college had attempted to commit suicide by jumping from third floor of the building over alleged harassment by the institute’s authorities.
The girl alleged that a canteen staffer of the college molested her on March 31