All Indian Student's Union (AISU) unit of Bengaluru, Karnataka has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on February 1 seeking their intervention concerning the alarming rise in student suicides at People's Education Society (PES) University in the city.
To recall, the concerns regarding alleged mental and institutional harassment being faced by students at PES University started after Aditya Prabhu, a 19-year-old student, jumped to his death at the reputed engineering institute in July 2023. Here is a timeline of suicides that happened at the university:
July 17, 2023: Aditya Prabhu took the extreme step
October 27, 2023: Surya M Achar, a third-year BTech (Bachelor of Technology) Computer Science student ended his life by jumping from the college building
January 30, 2024: Vignesh K, 19-year-old BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration) ended his life.
The union highlighted that three professors were named in a police chargesheet filed in Aditya Prabhu's case. However, "Despite the charges, these professors continue to teach, raising concerns about student safety," the union's statement read.
The letter to the officials read, "The gravity of the situation cannot be overstated, as three young lives have been lost within a span of a few months. We earnestly request your immediate intervention to investigate and address the issues at PES University, ensuring justice for the grieving parents who have lost their children. We implore you to take swift and decisive action against the alleged perpetrators and institute measures to prevent further tragedies."
Speaking on this, National President of AISU M Sai Krishna said, “I urgently appeal to the higher authorities to intervene immediately and initiate a transparent investigation into the issues plaguing the university. It is imperative that we address these concerns promptly to prevent any further loss of life. I earnestly request a thorough examination of the situation and urge the authorities to hold accountable those responsible for the current challenges."
"Swift and decisive action is essential to ensure the safety and well-being of the university community, and I implore the responsible authorities to take immediate steps to rectify the situation,” he further said.
In a press statement issued, the Head of the Media Division Sai Ram B said, “The power corridors must hear us out. Professors who are named in a chargesheet are still allowed to enter classrooms; this is an example of how the university ‘DOES NOT CARE’ for its students. Requesting the authorities to act, so that these tragedies do not repeat.”
