IIT staff not cooperating: Kin

[1]

A pall of gloom hung over the government hospital at Royapettah on Wednesday when the family members of Merugu Manasa, the IIT’ian who had committed suicide on Tuesday, arrived to collect her body.

The investigation took a new turn as the college claimed that the girl had gone home for Ramzan holidays though her parents denied it and said that she had not come home since joining college last month.

Manasa’s father Mr Merugu Rajesham was inconsolable as he broke down in the hospital on seeing his daughter’s body.

He alleged that no one from IIT had come to talk to the family and they had failed to offer any cooperation or support so far.

“IIT is known as a very prestigious institution in Karim Nagar so we sent her here to study but now they have given me her lifeless body. My daughter was a very intelligent and bold girl and I have no clue what pushed her to take the extreme step,” wailed the father.

Though she had called her parents several times over the past one month, Manasa had never complained about anything nor had she sounded depressed, he added.

Manasa’s uncle Mr Mondiah recalled her excitement in joining IIT and said that she was very interested in academics.

“Despite being a carpenter, her father had urged her to study as she had got a seat on merit. Her death has come as a shock to us.

The irresponsible manner in which the IIT staff have behaved is causing more trauma,” he said, adding that the college staff had refused to let them see Manasa’s room in the hostel nor had they provided any further details about her activities.

The family said that they were now depending on the police investigation to shed more light on Manasa’s death.

A case has been registered against the professor who assaulted the photographer.