KOCHI, Aug 16: An Arunachal Pradesh native studying at an engineering college in Kothamangalam near here was found dead in the room of a rented house, police said on Sunday.
Higher Education Minister Roji M John told reporters that a detailed probe would be conducted into the incident.
The deceased, identified as Michi Marpu (20) of Naharlagun in Papum Pare district, was pursuing BTech course at MA College of Engineering, Kothamangalam.
According to police, Marpu was found lying on the floor with a rope tied around his neck at the rented house where he lived with his college mates at Kozhipilly near Kothamangalam on Saturday evening.
Though he was rushed to the Kothamangalam Taluk Hospital, doctors declared him brought dead, police said.
Police suspect that Marpu had attempted to hang himself from the roof of the room, but the rope broke, following which he was found lying on the floor.
A three-page suicide note, written in English and Hindi, was recovered from his room, police said. However, its contents were not immediately known.
Police said Marpu may have taken the extreme step fearing that he would lose a year due to a low academic credit score.
A detailed probe is required to ascertain the circumstances leading to his death, police said.
Students at the college staged a protest, alleging that the minimum credit requirement at the college is higher than that at other engineering colleges in the state.
SFI and KSU leaders at the college told reporters that as the institution follows an autonomous scheme, it has set the minimum credit requirement at 22 credits, compared to 18 at colleges affiliated with Kerala Technological University.
They said that even after the year-back system was suspended by KTU, it was still being implemented at MA College of Engineering.
Muvattupuzha Deputy SP K R Manoj said that following the protest, student representatives held discussions with the college management.
Police said the post-mortem examination would be conducted on Monday after the parents arrived on Sunday evening.
Kothamangalam police have registered a case of unnatural death and are conducting an investigation.
Minister John said the student's death was an unfortunate incident and assured that a proper investigation would be conducted.
“In any case, a student committing suicide in this manner is deeply unfortunate. A proper investigation will be conducted into this. At the department level, I will contact the university and officially request it to conduct an inquiry into the matter,” he told reporters.
John said he had already contacted the district police chief.
“The police have registered a case, and in the presence of family members, inquest procedures and the post-mortem will be completed. The police will conduct a thorough investigation,” John added. (PTI)