The Rajiv Gandhi University of Technology (RGUKT) Basara, popularly known as the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Basara, finds itself in the spotlight once again as the tragic deaths of two girl students within a span of 48 hours have left parents questioning the safety of their children within the institution, stated a report in The New Indian Express.
The shocking demise of first-year PUC student V Deepika by suicide in the hostel bathroom on Tuesday, June 13, was yet to sink in when Bura Likhita, aged 17 and a close friend of Deepika, fell to her death from the fourth floor of the IIIT Basara hostel building at approximately 2 am on Thursday, June 15.
Hearing the thud of the body hitting the ground, security guards and students rushed Likhita to the campus dispensary where first aid was administered before she was shifted to Bhainsa Area Hospital and later to Nirmal Government Hospital. However, she was declared “brought dead”.
Upon learning of the incident at around 2.45 am, Likhita's parents hurried to the hospital. Overwhelmed by grief upon seeing their daughter's lifeless body, they expressed suspicions of foul play. Authorities accompanied the family to RGUKT-Basara, revealing the location where the tragedy unfolded.
After a postmortem examination, the police released the body to Likhita's parents, who took it back to their hometown of Gajwel in Siddipet district.
Tension escalated outside Nirmal hospital as students from RGUKT Basara engineering college congregated alongside family members, expressing grave concerns about the number of student deaths.
Responding to the issue, Congress and BJP activists staged a protest in front of the hospital, demanding accountability for the series of tragic incidents. They demanded the appointment of a regular Vice-Chancellor. Subsequently, the police arrested the protesting political activists and shift them to the police station.
Meanwhile, following a thorough analysis of the reconstructed scene, Likhita's parents and relatives said that they were convinced that her death may have been an accident. They also mentioned this in their formal complaint filed with the Basara police.
Meanwhile, RGUKT Vice-Chancellor V Venkat Ramana visited Nirmal hospital to offer condolences to the grieving parents. However, BJP and Congress activists attempted to obstruct his meeting with the bereaved family. The VC explained that Likhita's demise resulted from an accidental slip and fall. He suggested that the use of earphones at the time of the incident may have diverted her attention, leading to a fatal spinal cord injury.
