Karnataka: BMCRI lecturer attempts suicide, blames principal for harassment

Bengaluru: A 40 year old lecturer of the Nursing College of Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Mamta GS made an unsuccessful suicide attempt on Wednesday, by hanging herself from a ceiling fan. However, before she could die of asphyxiation the fan fell from the roof to the ground.

The reason given by her for such a drastic attempt was alleged harassment by the college principal. She was rescued by the students and admitted to the ICU the same day, who ran to her help when they heard a noise .She was

shifted to a ward in the Emergency and Trauma Care Centre at Victoria Hospital on Saturday.The students found a suicide note with her in which she accused Hemvathi to have mentally tortured her, as reported by The New Indian Express

Mamatha, elaborating in her one page note in Kannada alleged, “She (the accused) abuses me before students and others faculties. Moreover, she defames me and accuses me of unethical activities.”

The nursing lecturer had on several occasions complained to the administration about the Principal, Hemvathi for allegedly taking bribes from students in exchange of internal assessment marks, relieving certificates and hostel facilities. However, she complained of no action being taken for the same.

According to Mamata, Hemavathi had called her to her chamber on Wednesday and reprimanded her for making a complaint against her to the Dean of the institute.

Speaking to Indian Express, the lecturer alleged the Principle had on an earlier occasion asked her to collect Rs. 4000 each from hostel student. Mamata was the warden of the hostel, at that time and had refused to do so. Hemavathi as alleged by Mamata turned hostile. Harassment hasn’t stopped since then and she often hurls abuses at me,” said Mamatha.

“At every step, she takes bribes from students or asks the lecturers to collect it for her. Be it for attempt certificate (that mentions how many attempts a student has made to pass the examination), completion certificate for in-service candidates, hostel facilities, which is supposed to be free or for relieving certificate, she expects bribes,” she further added.

“A three-member committee was constituted under in-charge, Dean, Dr Veeranna Gowda K M, which gave Hemavathi a clean chit. She became in-charge, Principal in 2012 and was even suspended for a few months on corruption charges but came back to her post. The authorities are hand-in-glove. If this is the condition of lecturers, imagine the plight of students,” Mamatha added.

When Express contacted Hemavathi, she only said, “This lecturer is very junior to me and is mentally unstable.”

Three-member-panel formed to probe the matter:

Dr Devadass P K, Director, BMCRI, said, “I have constituted a three-member committee again. The report will come in three days, based on which action will be taken. Three months ago also, a committee was constituted to probe into corruption charges. Since she has attempted suicide this time, there is no need for us to file an FIR. A medico-legal case has already been registered by the police.”