'Remarks on skin colour, clothes': ‘Humiliated’ in college over leave, Bengaluru dental student ends life

SIx module members of a dental college in Karnataka's Bengaluru feature been suspended o'er the alleged felo-de-se of a 23-year-old pupil, whose family alleges she was subjected to humiliation by college management. The third-year dental student of a private college was found hanging at her residence in Bengaluru on Friday, January 9, news agency PTI reported.What victim's family has allegedFamily members of the deceased have accused the college management of harassing her, alleging that she was subjected to humiliation, which drove her to take the extreme step.She was the only child of her parents, PTI quoted police as saying. The 23-year old's mother said her daughter had taken leave on Wednesday, citing eye pain.When she returned to college the following day, she was allegedly humiliated in front of other students for not participating in a seminar, her mother alleged, as per the report.The woman was allegedly humiliated by the lecturers in front of her classmates with remarks on her skin colour, according to the complaint filed by the woman's mother, cited in an NDTV report. Her mother also alleged that the staff had questioned the woman's aspiration of becoming a doctor.The complaint alleged that lectures made derogatory comments about the woman's clothing and used insensitive language when she complained of eye pain. According to the complaint, the woman was allegedly denied permission to attend seminars and was academically harassed by not being allotted radiology case work.Following the student's death, aggrieved students staged a sit-in protest outside the morgue, demanding action against those responsible.Police said a case has been registered in connection with the incident, and further investigation is underway.In an official communication dated January 12, the Bengaluru-based dental college said that the inquiry in the matter would continue and that the suspension would remain in force till further notification.The suspended faculty members include senior lecturers, all from the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, the communication said.If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist. Helplines: Aasra: 022 2754 6669; Sneha India Foundation: +914424640050 and Sanjivini: 011-24311918, Roshni Foundation (Secunderabad) Contact Nos: 040-66202001, 040-66202000, ONE LIFE: Contact No: 78930 78930, SEVA: Contact No: 09441778290