First year student found hanging in Hyderabad university hostel

Hyderabad: A first semester student of MFA course at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) here allegedly committed suicide in the wee hours of Saturday, police said. Nelli Praveen Kumar, a student of Department of Fine Arts, Sarojini Naidu School of Arts and Communication, was found hanging in his hostel room, Joint Commissioner of Police (Cyberabad West) M Stephen Ravindra told PTI. "Reasons are not known...No suicide note was found," he said, adding, some students took him to a hospital where he was declared brought dead. According to UoH officials, at about 4.15 AM Praveen's roommate, also his classmate, returned from his painting studio and found the room latched from inside. When Praveen did not open the door despite several knocks, his roommate alerted other students in the hostel. They managed to open the latch through the ventilator and found him hanging from the ceiling, they said. Praveen was immediately shifted to the University Health Centre and after preliminary examination by the Medical Officer, he was rushed to a private hospital along with the Medical Officer. Doctors at the hospital, after examining him, declared him dead. His brother reached the hospital and his body was later moved to Osmania General hospital by police, UoH officials said. Police said Praveen hailed from Shadnagar town of Mahabubnagar district in Telangana and his parents have been informed about the incident. UoH Pro Vice-Chancellor Vipin Srivastava said Praveen was admitted to MFA course around one and half month ago. Police is investigating the matter. University officials and faculty members are in touch with his close friends and family, he said. The University condoled the untimely death of Kumar and the Department of Fine Arts held a condolence meeting this morning. PhD research scholar Rohit Vemula had allegedly committed suicide on January 17 in a hostel room on the campus. He was among five research scholars who were suspended by the varsity in August last year and one of the accused in the case of assault on an ABVP student leader. The suspension was revoked later. His suicide had triggered a political storm with opposition parties launching an attack on the Union Government amid allegations that the action was a result of discrimination against Dalit students after Bandaru Dattatreya had written a letter to the then Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani seeking action against their "anti-national acts.