A national-level handball player on Saturday allegedly committed suicide after she was denied free hostel facility by the Khalsa College authorities in Patiala, Punjab.
Pooja, 20, was a second-year BA student of General Shivdev Singh Diwan Gurbachan Singh Khalsa college. Her body was found hanging in her room this morning. Her parents informed the police, who took her to the hospital where was declared brought dead.
SHO Kotwali Gurpreet Singh Bhinder said that the deceased’s father, Prabhu, who is a vegetable vendor, handed him a copy of the suicide note, which was addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In the note, Pooja rued that she had to end her life since she was poor and could not afford to pay for the hostel facility. Urging the PM to ensure that a poor girl like her be provided free education facility, Pooja held one of the college professors accountable for her death claiming that “he was the one who refused to give her the hostel room and asked her to commute from her house every day. However, this will cost me around Rs 3,720 per month and my father could not afford it”.
In his complaint, Prabhu has alleged that Pooja was upset since she was not given the hostel room. Even though he tried to convince her that things would be fine, she ended her life.
Based on his complaint, the police registered a case under Section 306 of IPC (abetment to suicide).
However, principal of Khalsa College Dharminder Singh Ubha when contacted said that the girl had already been given free admission on August 18.
(With inputs from PTI)