The Students’ Grievance Cell of Calicut University will conduct a hearing on March 9 into the circumstances that led to the suicide of Jaspreet Singh, a third-year student of B.A. Economics at Malabar Christian College recently.
Jaspreet did not have the attendance as mandated by Calicut University’s regulations to write the final semester exam. According to sources, the cell would record the statements of Godwin Samraj, Principal of the college, who has been accused of refusing to relax the attendance norms for Jaspreet, which reportedly forced him to end his life. The action follows a complaint lodged by activists of the Students Federation of India, whose version too will be recorded.
Meanwhile, the Town police on Thursday recorded the statement of Jaspreet’s father Manmohan Singh. Mr. Singh stood by his accusation that the Principal and two other lecturers were involved in abetting his son’s suicide. A case of unnatural death under section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure had already been registered. Further legal action would follow the completion of the inquiry into the parent’s allegations, they said.
KSU demand
Kerala Students Union president K.M. Abhijith said a probe should be conducted into the incident without the interference of the Principal and other teachers. He told the media that it was the stubborn attitude of the Principal that led to the incident and that murder charge should be slapped on him. The authorities did not consider Jaspreet’s plea even on humanitarian grounds, Mr. Abhijith said.
Activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha took out a march to the college. Sixteen Yuva Morcha activists were arrested by the police.