Pharma student commits suicide despite counselling in Ghatkesar

Hyderabad: A 19-year-old BPharma student who allegedly misled the Rachakonda police by claiming to be kidnapped and gang-raped died by suicide at her home in Ghatkesar on Wednesday.

On February 10, she had accused an autorickshaw driver of kidnap and rape. Police after investigations which took three days, and into which 152 personnel were drafted, revealed that she wanted to leave home due to family problems and had cooked up the story and had framed the driver due to previous enmity.

She had been admitted to hospital for mandatory checks. Following her discharge from hospital on February 13, the Rachakonda police said that she would be booked for providing false evidence.

Meanwhile, the girl slipped into depression and was hospitalised at Gandhi Hospital on Tuesday.  She was discharged and taken home by her parents on Tuesday evening where she attempted suicide. “She was rushed to hospital by her parents, where the duty doctors declared her brought dead,” said the police.

The Ghatkesar police said that they have booked a case of suspicious death and shifted the body for the post-mortem examination (PME). “Based on the PME report and other evidence, the case will be further investigated and finalised,” the police said.

The B. Pharma student had been suffering from mental health issues, said Sakhi Centre administrator Rama Devi and support agency head P. Padmavathi at the Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust, the NGO running the Sakhi Centre in Medchal Malkajgiri.

Counselling for the victim started after her alleged kidnap case came to light and her statement was recorded. Authorities at the centre recalled her telling them that she had not been feeling well for a long time and that she felt a constant need for affection and attention from her near and dear ones. She had also told them during her counselling session that she feared losing people close to her.
Following this, Rama Devi and NGO representatives suggested that the victim’s family seek professional psychological help for the student. They also put them in contact with a psychologist near the centre. They further suggested that the girl continue her stay at the centre itself.

However, her parents, fearing undue focus and scrutiny by public in the case, insisted on taking her home for the time being and said they would seek help later.

The Sakhi One Stop Centres (OSCs) exist in all 33 districts of Telangana to support women affected by violence and trauma in private or public spaces, within the family, community or at the workplace. Women facing physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and economic abuse, irrespective of age, class, caste, education status, marital status, race and culture; are supported at these centres and counselled.

Aggrieved women facing any kind of violence, sexual harassment or assault, domestic issues, trafficking, honour-related crimes, acid attacks or witch-hunting can reach out to OSCs for specialised services.