Barely two weeks after she joined college, Manasa Merugu (21), a first-year M.Tech student of IIT Madras, committed suicide in her hostel room on campus on Tuesday afternoon. Police said family problems led her to take the extreme step.
Manasa, who was a B.Tech graduate from a private college in Ananthapur, Andhra Pradesh, was pursuing a specialisation in Chemical Engineering. The student was a resident of Sarayu Extension on the IIT-M campus. She hails from Ramagundam in Karim Nagar district of Andhra Pradesh. Records at IIT show the 21-year-old was married to a man called Srinivas from Andhra Pradesh.
Police sources said the incident would have happened around 2.30 p.m. and they were informed at 4.30 p.m.
“We found out when the carpenter had gone to the room and she did not open the door. He had to climb up the wall and saw through the window, after which we broke open the door,” said the hostel watchman.
M.Tech classes in the institute started on August 1.
A helper at the women’s hostels said, “She had gone home for the last three days. When she came back on Tuesday at 7 a.m., she looked a little upset and did not go to classes. I went to clean the room in the morning and she said she will leave in a while. None of her roommates were in the room then,” she said.
A senior professor in IIT said the suicide could not have been due to stress or academic rigour because the course had just started.
This is the second suicide this year on the IIT-M campus. According to data provided by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, the IITs reported two suicides in 2010, four in 2009 and five in 2008. In 2011, the figure was seven, three of which were by IIT-M students.
News Photographer assaulted
The scene outside the hostel where the IIT student committed suicide turned ugly after Albin Mathew, a news photographer of The New Indian Express, was assaulted by an IIT professor and security guards while he was taking shots of the building.
A senior professor, along with a few guards, assaulted Mathew and took him away to the administrative office where he was held captive till the police arrived. Senior IIT staff expressed regret for the incident. One of the staff members said, the attack was not intentional and the men were only trying to prevent the lensman from taking shots of the female students.
The injured Mathew lodged a complaint with the Kotturpuram police. He was later taken to the Government Royapettah for treatment.
The Madras Reporters' Guild condemned the assault of the photographer and demanded action by the IIT management and the police against those involved in it.
Keywords: IIT-M student, suicide case
I can see some people commenting without knowing or being at IIT. If you do not know the system and environment here, please refrain from commenting.
We cannot make a comment on anyone without knowing the fact that happened there........so please friends do not comment her unnecessarily as she is also a youngster like us
I think the administration should take an initiative where students would be judged on their aspirations and bearing capabilities before entering the college. A pattern similar to entrance in defense services should be followed where only those students who can survive and excel should be allowed to pursue their education in premier institutions. A serious conjunction of bringing quality students in and relaxing the campus atmosphere is needed.
I am very sad about that,i don't know why students get into suicide in problem it is not the way of doing as a student,student means dynamic and dare to face any problem.
Can't imagine what she was going through that made her feel this was the only way out. My condolences to the family. The pressure to succeed is so high in the IITs. Students there should have access to a peer counselor on a regular not just need-to basis till they get acclimatized. Someone who can relate to their problems and provide them with constructive guidance.
It's not always the institute. At least, not this time. It's a pressure-free curriculum here. I do not think the institutes should be blamed every time a suicide happens. They provide benevolent support for students in every way always. Blaming IITs for every suicide does not make sense!
It is very disturbing and sad to know yet an other brilliant life lost for no reason. My heart goes with the bereaved family. Pula S.
I have no words to say.. Death is not the only solution for problems.. we need to fight back with Gods help and faith. I feel so sad for the parents and husband. May her soul rest in peace.
It should not be happened with the innocent girl.
Deteriorating quality of education in IITs? Or liberal admission methods with poor quality of students? A detailed investigation will only reveal. This kind of incident rising in India's prestigious institutes, with hundreds of crores of taxpayers money invested aren't good to hear.
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