An online petition has been started seeking justice for Aditya Prabhu, a 19-year-old student of PES University, Bengaluru, who died by suicide on July 17.
Aditya’s parents accused PES University, and have even filed a complaint against the institution, alleging mental harassment leading to Aditya taking the extreme step. A protest was also organised on Sunday, July 23, at Freedom Park in Bengaluru seeking justice for the deceased and his family.
“Aditya Prabhu, a 19-year-old student of PES University, woke up that fateful day looking forward to giving his last end-semester exam, after which he was looking forward to attending a friend's birthday party, and spending his semester break watching movies on his new TV and visiting his grandmother. He was a bright student with 8.5 GPA and always had a cheerful disposition about life,” the petition read.
Aditya died by suicide after he was accused of cheating in an examination by the university.
Demands
The petition seeks the establishment of “an impartial committee to thoroughly investigate PES University's role in Aditya's tragedy and to look into other instances of alleged malpractice by university officials against students.”
It also demands that PES University publicly name and suspend all officials involved in the incident.
Moreover, the petitioners have demanded the UGC and other education authorities implement policy-level changes that prioritise students' mental well-being during stressful situations. This includes establishing support systems and counselling services to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
