19-Yr-Old Engineering Student Kills Self in Chennai’s SRM College

This is the fourth student suicide reported from the SRM campus since the beginning of academic year 2019-20.

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, 22 February.

Ayushi Rana, a BTech student, was found dead by fellow students who were looking for her when she did not come out of her room for a long time on Saturday. Speaking to The News Minute (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, the 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 to shift to an accommodation outside 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 17 July 2019.

The CBCID police had also conducted searches in the college campus in August as part of the investigation into the suicides. A team of 30 officers had 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

(This story was first published in The News Minute and has been republished with permission.)