‘Torture led to Mangalore student’s suicide’

Three days after Mehnaz, a student of PA College of Engineering in Konaje village near Mangalore, committed suicide, her father alleged that she ended her life after she was grilled by the college authorities for being ‘absent’ from the hostel for three days, from April 5 to 8.

According to sources, the administration got information that she had gone to Goa during the holidays without informing the college authorities. In fact, she was staying at a friend’s house, but the college authorities who grilled her allegedly threatened her that they will tell her parents about her ‘unexplained absence’.

Mohammad Ali Kulai, Mehnaz’ father, who arrived in the city on Sunday, alleged that the college authorities had grilled her for three hours.

Kulai said: “The college authorities mentally tortured my daughter and it forced her to take the extreme step. Also, no woman was present when the inquiry was held,” he alleged.

“After she died, many of her personal belongings, including a laptop, a mobile phone and a diary, have been missing,” he said, adding he is planning to complain to the State Human Rights Commission.