Student’s suicide bid over fee payment

According to the police, Kaleeswari (19) from Poosaripalayam near Selvapuram and studying in the third year in a private college in Malumichampatty, took the extreme step on Monday night.

Police inquiries revealed that the girl’s father, Krishnamurthy, had passed away due to illness a few years ago. After his demise, the girl’s mother, Ananda Lakshmi, took up work as a daily wager.

Despite this, the girl’s brother, aged 17, couldn’t continue his studies and dropped out of school to also take up work as a daily wager in a private firm in the same neighbourhood.

With their little earnings, the mother and brother struggled to pay the girl’s college fees. With the delay in paying the fees getting too long, the girl became depressed, said the police. Kaleeswari also over the last few days failed to go to college and stayed back at home.

On Monday night, Kaleeswari allegedly consumed cow dung powder while being alone and soon swooned. The neighbours immediately rushed the girl to the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), where she is undergoing treatment in a critical condition, sources said.

The Selvapuram police have registered a case and further inquiries are on.