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Guwahati (Assam): Violent clashes erupted between students and Assam police at NIT-Silchar on Saturday after a third-year student allegedly died by suicide on the campus. As per officials, at least 40 people, majority of them students, were injured, as the police used batons to quell the protests by the students.
A third-year student, resident of Arunachal Pradesh, was found hanging in his hostel room on Friday evening. The classmates of the deceased alleged that he was driven to end his life as a result of the actions of the college authority, and did not allow the police to take down the hanging body.
However, two hours later, the police managed to send the body for post-mortem examination but the students began a demonstration in front of dean of academics BK Roy’s official residence on the campus. The students alleged that Roy had insulted the deceased for having six backlogs in his first semester examination, which was held online in 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Due to the lockdown, he was at home and failed to attend the online classes due to lack of internet connectivity, resulting in the backlog, they claimed.
He had appealed to the authorities to conduct a special examination so that he could clear the backlogs but Roy allegedly insulted him. Following this incident, he locked himself in his room and later his body was found hanging, they said.
The protest over the death escalated, and the students allegedly vandalised Roy’s residence, Cachar’s Superintendent of Police Numal Mahatta said.
Assam: Outrageous situation inside the campus of NIT Silchar,
👉 A student took an extreme step & was found dead inside a hostel room
👉 Took step allegedly due to exam pressure & need to clear backlog paper
👉 Students protested against the Administration. Police, CRPF, and… pic.twitter.com/1ztlwx9lns
— aboyob bhuyan (@aboyobbhuyan) September 15, 2023
“They attacked the police and other officials as well. At one point, we had to lathi charge to control the situation. We are now investigating the matter,” he said.
⚡NIT SILCHAR : Situation inside NIT Silchar took a violent turn. #NIT #NITSilchar #Silchar #Assam #educacion #Students #violence #India pic.twitter.com/xl6wXuwHyV
— TIKHNADRISHTI (@tikhnadrishti) September 16, 2023
In the lathi charge, 40 students were injured and they were sent to Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) for treatment. The conditions of some of the students are stated to be critical, officials said.
NIT-Silchar director Dilip Kumar Baidya said he has sympathy for the student who died, but he had a bad academic record. “Some students fail, and they come with illegitimate demands,” he said, commenting on the incident.
Cachar’s District Commissioner Rohan Kumar Jha visited the campus and formed a committee that will investigate the incident.
The students, however, said that they would continue their protest in a democratic manner.
“Our classmate died because of the wrong decisions of the authorities, we’ll continue our protest till justice is served,” said one of the protesters.
A large police contingent was deployed at the campus, along with one company of the CRPF, the SP said.
(With PTI inputs)
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