Rajahmundry: A student swallowed a bottleful of pesticide in the school when officials refused to revoke the transfer certificate issued to his best friend. Betha Durga Prasad, a Class X student of the Government High School at Kovvur, West Godavari, attempted suicide to protest against the transfer certificate handed over to his classmate and best pal Marapatla Gangadhar. They both were also hostelmates.
Gangadhar was accused of being indisciplined and had allegedly pushed a physical education teacher during assembly for reprimanding him. He also faced complaints of misconduct from his female classmates. Headmaster Rama Prasad called his parents and asked them to take Gangadhar away from the school and get him enrolled elsewhere. On Thursday, Durga Prasad approached the headmaster and asked him to reconsider. When the headmaster refused, Durga Prasad went to the school ground and drank a bottle of pesticide that he was carrying in his pocket. He fell unconscious. A few teachers who saw this rushed him to a nearby hospital. After a stomach wash, he was shifted to a better hospital in Rajahmundry.
