Chennai: The death of T. Abhinath, a student of Sri Sairam college, was a clear case of suicide and not murder, said Sai Prakash Leomuthu, CEO of the college. He brushed away the charges that the campus director P.Balu scolded him a day before his suicide.
The CEO said Balu never interacted with Abhinath the day before the incident took place. “A lot of negative stories have been doing the rounds in social media and media and a lot many rumours have been spread,” he said. He said that some anti-social elements and miscreants are instigating students against the college. “All protesting students are not our students as we have identified the people who are instigating the students as they are jealous of our growth,” he said. The miscreants are urging companies not to come to the college for placements, he added. Legal action will be taken against them.
Regarding the demands of students for Balu’s dismissal, he said that there would be a ballot system for that. Mentors are there who are going to address the student’s issue. “The students do not want a retest and assignment along with it. So there is no necessity for retest if they clear the exam. There won’t be any assignment as well,” he said.
Further when the question of well was raised, he said except the one where Abhinath jumped into the rest will be netted. The work had been started 10 days prior to the incident. “There are seven wells inside the campus and it is very unfortunate it’s not safe for students,” he said.
The college management also showed a video pointing out a particular student from Sairam Polytechnic, an alumnus now, instigating the students against the management. “He is not a student of Sairam Engineering College. Like him there are many other outsiders and alumni who are instigating students against the college management. Our students are not that talented that they would approach the media,” he said. When questioned about installing cameras everywhere, he said it would become stressful for students. “We already have cameras at the entrance of the college. Keeping cameras everywhere would also put faculty members under stress,” he said. According to some sources, Balu has already given his resignation but the college is not ready to accept it. The college will pull him out of the current position of campus director but he will be posted in other Sairam institutions.
