Students of SKLP Nursing Institute of Education and Practice in Bhuj staged protests on Wednesday following the death of a student who set himself on fire at his residence near Bhuj town in Kutch district on Dece-mber 29, after he was allegedly reprimanded by the principal.
According to police, Devram Varchand, a third year student of Bachelor of Science (Nursing) at the SKLP college, allegedly set himself on fire after dousing himself with petrol inside the room where he was staying on rent in Haripar village on the outskirts of Bhuj on December 29 afternoon.
Varchand was rushed to the GK General Hospital in Bhuj town from where he was referred to Ahmedabad civil hospital the same day. The student succum-bed to his burns on Tuesday while undergoing treatment in the Ahmedabad hospital, police said.
“Today, his father filed a complaint, alleging the student was tortured by principal and one the teachers of the college, driving him to suicide. We are in the process of registering an accidental death case in this connection,” said Saurabh Singh, superintendent of Kutch West police.
Meanwhile, students of the college staged protests at the entrance of the college run by Shree Kutchi Leuva Patel Samaj (SKLP) on Wednesday, holding photos of Devram and raising slogans, demanding “justice” for him.
“Devram would stand up to lecturers and the principal on matters that he thought were unjust to students. This had angered one of the lecturers and the principal,” one of Devram’s classmates told The Indian Express, adding, “Devram was absent from college on December 28 as he was down with fever. On December 29 morning, the principal called him to his cabin and asked why Devram had submitted forged medical papers to prove that he was unwell the previous day…”
Devram was a native of Amrapar village on Khadir island in Rapar taluka of Kutch district. His father Ganesh is a farmer.
Led by advocate HS Ahir, students held a candle-light vigil on the banks of Hamirsar lake, demanding justice for the student. “The principal and one faculty member were mentally harassing and torturing the student and yet the police are not booking them,” Ahir said.
Denying the charge, the SP said, “An FIR can’t be registered just on the basis of allegations. We are registering an accidental death case and will launch an inquiry… If any criminality is found on the part of the teachers and principal, we will book them for abetment to suicide.”
The college principal could not be reached for a comment.