SV Medical College: MD Pediatrics Student commits suicide, had alleged sexual harassment by Professors

Vijayawada: Tensions surrounded the campus of SV Medical college after an MD pediatrics student who had accused three professors of sexual harassment, has committed suicide

The 30-year-old woman doctor was found hanging at her flat on Tuesday.

It is reported that in April, she had complained to Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan in writing that she was being sexually harassed by three professors from the paediatric department. Following this, the college management formed a committee in May to conduct an inquiry.

The professors had termed the allegations baseless.

The student, meanwhile, was upset after she failed in the post-graduate exams. She had told her friends that she was deliberately failed as she had complained against the professors. Upset over the whole stream of affairs, she allegedly took her own life by hanging herself

The suicide triggered protests by students at the SV College where a sit-in was staged, demanding action against the professors.

The victim's relatives alleged that the inquiry committee had not submitted its report and the three professors had gone to the media describing her as mentally unsound. They said the attitude of the professors had caused her mental agony and drove her to suicide.

One student protester told the local media that the professors used to allegedly 'pass comments' on her clothes.

Her colleagues further informed the News Minute that the woman began taking anti-depressants because of the pressure that she faced. They also said that the deceased made several representations to the concerned authorities through official means, but it was of no use.

Responding to the student agitation authorities in Andhra Pradesh suspended a professor of SV Medical College in Tirupati

The medical education department suspended Ravi Kumar, head of the pediatric department at SV Medical College. Director of Medical Education K. Babji, who issued the orders, will visit Tirupati to personally probe the circumstances which led to the suicide.