Law student Prashant Chitalkar (22), who committed suicide on Monday by jumping into a well, did so because he was being ragged at the institute where he studied, his father alleged on Wednesday.
Prashant was a second year student at Pune’s Law College, run by the Deccan Education Society, the same group that runs the renowned Ferguson College. He killed himself at Rahuri near Ahmednagar, 130 km from Pune, where he was visiting his uncle.
“We’ve registered cases against nine students of the college under the anti-ragging act and for abetment to suicide,” said M. M. Bagwan, inspector at the local police station, adding that the case was being transferred to Pune.
Initially after the body was recovered from the well, police had registered a case of accidental death as no suicide note was found.
According to Ahmednagar police, Prashant’s father in his complaint alleged that text messages that his son got suggested harassment from seniors.
“Prashant often complained about being harassed and abused by his seniors,” said his father, Bandu Chitalkar, a head constable in Ahmednagar. “He’d made a suicide attempt 15 days ago as well by taking poison, but we managed to save him. After the incident, we brought him to his uncle’s place to see if that would help.”
{{/usCountry}}“Prashant often complained about being harassed and abused by his seniors,” said his father, Bandu Chitalkar, a head constable in Ahmednagar. “He’d made a suicide attempt 15 days ago as well by taking poison, but we managed to save him. After the incident, we brought him to his uncle’s place to see if that would help.”
{{/usCountry}}The college too has set up a three-member committee to probe the matter.