VIJAYAWADA: A first-year Inter student of a private junior college in Nidamanuru allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself to the ceiling of his hostel room. Though the college management said that he committed suicide, the boy’s parents alleged foul play. The boy, Kadiyala Phanish Chowdary, 16, was housed at the Saraswathi Bhavan of Narayana Junior College.
Though the alleged suicide occurred on Monday, it came to light on Tuesday when the kin of the deceased lodged a complaint with the police. The deceased hailed from Gudivada and his father Tirumala Bhaskara Rao is a contractor.
Phanish reportedly ended his life on Monday evening around 6 pm and the college staff rushed him to a nearby private hospital. Around 7 pm, the college management called Phanish’s father to inform him that his son fell ill and was admitted to a private hospital. When the parents reached the hospital, they were told that Phanish had committed suicide.
“Phanish complained to us several times that he was facing trouble with hostel warden Nallinti Veerababu and other staff members and requested the principal to change his room,” his parents said in the complaint to police. They said Phanish may not have committed suicide as the college claimed. Though he had asthma, he never showed signs of depression.
On Tuesday, Phanish’s parents and Student Federation of India (SFI) staged a protest in the campus demanding justice. “They are trying to project it as a suicide. We have many doubts. They might have tampered with evidence,” the parents alleged.
Patamata police told TNIE that the reasons behind the suicide were yet to be ascertained. A case under Section 174 of CrPC (suspicious death) was filed against the college by Phanish’s uncle Koteswara Rao in Patamata police station.
“We suspect that Phanish committed suicide. We are recording the statements of students and college staff,” Patamata circle inspector K Umamaheswara Rao said.