College of Engineering Thiruvananthapuram student driver faces expulsion

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A three-member internal inquiry committee of the College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram (CET), has submitted its report recommending strong action against a dozen students who caused the death of their college mate Thasni, 21, in an accident during the Onam revellery on the campus on August 20.

The committee comprising lecturers identified the students using the photographs and statements of eyewitnesses and submitted the report to the college council on Tuesday.

The council has in principle decided to give varied punishments to the students depending on their involvement in the mishap.

Baiju, a seventh semester student, who drove the jeep, will be expelled from the college, whereas all the occupants of the jeep will be suspended.

All those who were found to be revelling on three different vehicles will be expelled from the hostels.

According to the committee, the hostel union members debated whether they should take the truck named ‘Chekuthan’ and two open jeeps inside the campus.

Some of them finally decided that they should use the exit gate to bring in vehicles.

There was a standing ban order against the entry of vehicles and the entry gate was clamped down at the time of the incident.
“The inquiry took a long time since we did not want to wrongly accuse a student of misbehaviour. The college council has taken the inquiry into consideration and action will be initiated,” said college principal J. David.

Though the SFI leadership welcomed the action taken against the members of the hostel union led by it, the students' union has urged the council to re-think the expulsion of Baiju.

The Sreekariyam police said that seven accused, barring the driver, were absconding. There are reports that they are attempting to get anticipatory bail from court. A principal sessions court had recently rejected the bail plea of the prime accused Baiju who had surrendered before the police.