Pharmacy student found hanging in Jalgaon room; note alleges assault by principal

NASHIK: A 20-year-old second-year student of a private pharmacy college was found dead, hanging from a ceiling fan in his rented room in Jalgaon city on Sunday evening, the police said. A note, purportedly written by him, was found in his pocket. The police said the note stated that the youth was beaten up by his college principal in front of everyone over a quarrel between two groups.

Based on a complaint by the student's father, the Ramanand police in Jalgaon city registered a case of abetment of suicide against the college principal, whose whereabouts are currently unknown. The chairman of the institute, former state minister Gulabrao Deokar, told TOI, "Since an FIR has been registered, the police will be investigating the case."

The deceased student has been identified as Shyam Patil, a resident of Bodvad in Muktainagar taluka of Jalgaon district.

Like many other students, Shyam had rented a room in Jalgaon city's Daulat Nagar area in an apartment. Sometime around 5pm, other students in the apartment found Shyam hanging from a ceiling fan in his room by a nylon rope. The incident was immediately reported to the landlord, who in turn contacted Shyam's family and the police.

Deputy SP Nitin Ganapure told TOI that, as per the note left behind by Shyam, he ended his life because his college principal beat him in front of the other students and staff. After the FIR was registered, the police started looking for the college principal, but he has not been found so far.

Shyam's father, Prabhakar Patil, stated in the complaint that his son called him on Feb 14 at 7pm and told him that he had a quarrel with some students. Though he was not involved in the quarrel directly, the principal allegedly slapped him and beat him with a PVC pipe in front of other students. The complainant said that though he called his son back home on Sunday, he did not do so.

Around 5pm on Sunday, Shyam's landlord called his twin brother, Ram, on the phone and informed him about the death.

Shyam Patil is survived by his father, a farmer, mother, grandfather, and twin brother, Ram.