A 20-year-old catering student of a private institute on South Usman Road, T. Nagar, committed suicide by setting himself on fire using kerosene, on campus, on Friday. He died in a hospital a few hours later.
Saidapet police identified the deceased as R. Velmurugan, a resident of Choolaimedu. He was a student of Sai Institute of Carving. According to investigators, Velmurugan had had a argument with a girl in class over her occupying a chair that he used to sit on regularly. Their teacher then scolded Velmurugan and sent him out of the class. Some students also seemed to have shouted at him. A humiliated Velmurugam is said to have gone to the college gate and set himself afire. Students and a staff member took him to hospital.
Speaking to The Hindu, Velmurugan's brother Balaji, said Velmurugan had called their mother and told her that the principal and some students had assaulted him and pushed him out of class. “A few hours later she got a call saying he had been taken to Royapettah Hospital. I rushed there around 2.30 p.m. and found him seated in a car with severe burns. He pointed to some college-mates who had accompanied him and told me they had insulted him. Minutes later he passed away,” Balaji added.
Saidapet police have registered a case of unnatural death and are questioning staff members and students.
