The Bengaluru police have booked three students for allegedly harassing their classmate at Reva University who recently died by suicide. Terming the incident a ragging-related death, the All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) has sought an impartial investigation and action against the college management.
The deceased, Arun C, 22, was a native of Hassan district and a student of architectural engineering. Though he died around 1 pm on July 11, the online harassment came to light after Arun’s parents filed a complaint with the Madanayakanahalli police on July 21.
The police have booked Chiranth, Vikas Gowda, and Ameen, all in their early 20s, under section 108 (abetment of suicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and are probing further.
The son of daily wage labourers, Arun was a bright student and had just completed his eighth semester examination. A resident of Teachers’ Colony in Dasanapura, Bengaluru North, he was also known for doing on-the-spot drawings. As per the complaint, he was harassed and humiliated in a class WhatsApp group.
After his death, a case of unnatural death was registered. The case took a turn when Arun’s parents discovered a video that he had recorded and posted on the class WhatsApp group before his death. In the video, Arun expressed his pain and claimed that he was always disrespected by his peers.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the accused regularly posted messages about Arun in the group, humiliating him. Two of the deceased’s friends reportedly confirmed this to his parents, revealing that the harassment had continued over the last year.
In a statement, AIDSO called for action against the college management for failing to prevent ragging. “We demand an immediate and impartial investigation into this incident, strict action against those responsible, and accountability from the college management. We also urge the government to strictly implement anti-ragging measures across all campuses and establish mechanisms for students to safely report such abuses,” it said in a statement.