Deputy Inspector General of Police Ramana Rao announced here today the Andhra Pradesh government has appointed a three-man panel to probe suicides by students of educational institutes, owned by AP Minister for Municipal Administration Narayana.
So far eleven students have committed suicide since an year after the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government came to power in AP, he said.
Referring to recent deaths of first year intermediate students Nandini (16) and Manisha (16), who studied at the Kadapa campus on August 17, the police official said, "The case will be investigated transparently and PM was also videographed. People need not suspect anything in this case".
He said that Proddatur DSP Pujitha Neelam was appointed special officer to investigate the case.
Meanwhile, a Kadapa bandh called by students unions and all major political parties except TDP and BJP in protest against suicides due to alleged harassment by Narayana college's management, was partial and went off peacefully.
Shops were remained closed. Buses plied after 10 am in the morning, though all educational institutes remained closed.
All important leaders and activists of student unions and political parties were taken into custody while leaders including Ladapa MLA Amzad Basha, Mayor Suresh Babu and others were confined to house arrest.
CPM state leader Narayana, district secretary Anjaneyulu, CPI district secretary Eswaraiah and others were arrested while they were organising the bandh.
Kurnool Range DIG Ramana Kumar, who has been camping here since three days and Kadapa SP Naveen Gulati personally supervised security arrangements.
The Arya Vysya Sangam organised a rally to the district collectorate and submitted a memorandum to the collector demanding a probe to find out the truth about the suicides as well as stern action against the culprits.
M Subba Rao, father of deceased student Nandini, also urged the collector to take steps to ensure that such incidents do not happen in educational institutes in future.
