Periyar University PG girl hangs in hostel, students demand probe

According to police, Nivethitha was studying for MSC Botany second year at Periyar University in Karuppur by staying in the hostel located on the university premises. She hails from Jammanalli in Dharmapuri district and her father Tirumalai is working in a co-operativesugar factory.

Students, who passed by her room on Saturday night, noticed Nivethitha hanging from the ceiling fan inside her room with a dupatta. She was alone in the room as two other girls staying with her had gone on research work10 days ago.  

On receiving information, a team, led by Deputy Commissioner Thangadurai, Assistant Commissioner Selvaraj and Suramangalam Inspector Senthil rushed to the spot.

In the presence of the girl’s parents, the police broke into the hostel room and sent her body for a post-mortem at Salem Government Hospital. Her death triggered a protest by the students, who gheraoed the university raising slogans demanding the police to hold a detailed investigation into her death.

The students alleged that one of the professors in her department had attempted to misbehave with another girl student. The girl raised an issue, but then slipped into silence and did not lodge a complaint. Being so, the sudden death of Nivethitha, also from the same department, has raised several doubts among the students.  

After the police held talks, the students left the spot. The police are also probing to know if the girl took the extreme step due to some love issues. A case has been registered and further investigations are on.