The internal committee formed by Sharda University to investigate the alleged suicide of a 21-year-old second-year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) student recorded the statements of the arrested assistant professors, and the report is expected on Friday, said police.
The student from Gurugram, was found dead on Friday evening in her room—1209(C), on the 12th floor of Mandela Hostel—in Greater Noida’s Knowledge Park. A suicide note recovered from the scene reportedly contained allegations against certain college professors.
“We were informed on Thursday that the internal five-member committee formed to investigate the BDS student’s suicide had recorded the statements of assistant professor Shairy Vashist and associate professor Mahinder Singh Chouhan at Luksar Jail,” said Greater Noida assistant commissioner of police (ACP) BS Vir Singh.
“The committee will submit its report to the vice chancellor on Friday, after which we will receive a copy to proceed further,” said ACP Singh.
However, the statements of the deceased’s family members are yet to be recorded. An official from the university, on condition of anonymity, said, “We have contacted the deceased’s parents multiple times, but they are not cooperating. We also requested them to record their statements virtually or send them in written format, but they did not do so.”
Meanwhile, the deceased’s father denied that anyone from the university had approached them yet.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, the deceased’s father denied that anyone from the university had approached them yet.
{{/usCountry}}On Thursday, the police also opened the seal placed at the gate of the Dental School. “The police have removed the seal placed at the gate of the Dental School. The premise is to be opened again for general uses. Since, police have not indicated any areas that may be important from the point of view of ongoing investigation in the Dental College, as a safety precaution, all areas in the students’ locker room, administrative office, labs, faculty cabins and all other related areas be kept locked, safe and unchanged,” reads the notice issued by dean of Dental School Dr. Sukhdeep Singh.
However, the deceased’s father said, “They opened the seal without our consent and there is proof of practicals that needs to be sealed.”
The deceased was upset after arrested professors refused to sign the manual of dental material after they alleged that their signatures were forged by her on the manual. The student’s father was also called on June 14 regarding the forged signature issue. However, the deceased denied the allegation in front of dean and her father. BDS students present manuals, a brief of the assignments during the practical exams.
Sharda University public relations officer Dr. Ajit Kumar said, “The committee has observed some changes that need to be done. They (the committee) will inform all about new reforms, changes, and suggestions in the final report. Following this, we will apply these changes with immediate effect.”
Dental classes were suspended for four days but as the department was unsealed on Thursday, the college declared that annual exam practicals and clinicals will start on Friday, except for the subjects taught by arrested professors Shairy Vashist and Mahinder Singh Chouhan (Dental Material) and suspended professors Surabhi Duggal and Anurag Hasti (Pre-Clinical Prosthodontics, PCP), said a student, adding that the written exams for BDS will be postponed from July 22 to July 28.
Notably, five faculty members, including Dean of Dental School Dr. M. Siddharth and four other professors, including those arrested, were suspended following the suicide of a BDS student. The university spokesperson said that they will remain suspended until the investigation against them is underway.