Chennai: Days after three girl students of a private college killed themselves over alleged exorbitant fee demands, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Saturday ordered transfer of the yoga and naturopathy students from that institution to a state-run college.
She also said that the case of the triple suicide was transferred to the CB-CID by the Director General of Police based on her orders.
"Considering the welfare of students of SVS Yoga and Naturopathy Medical College (in Villupuram District), I have ordered transfer of students of yoga and naturopathy to the state-run Yoga and Naturopathy Medical College," she said in an official release here.
As regards homoeopathy college of the same SVS group, she said she has ordered steps to get the students admitted in the government homoeopathy medical college after getting the requisite Central approval.
On January 23, three girl students of SVS Medical College of Yoga and Naturopathy at Villupuram had allegedly committed suicide by jumping into a farm well after harassment by the management demanding 'exorbitant' fees.
The college head Vasuki Subramaniam surrendered in a court in Chennai on January 25 and was remanded to judicial custody, while two others, including its principal, were arrested in connection with the case.
On January 27, the Madras High Court allowed a fresh autopsy of one of the three college girls who allegedly committed suicide, on request by her father.
Tamilarasan had moved a petition on January 25 in the High Court, seeking a CB-CID inquiry and a fresh post-mortem in a state-run hospital in Chennai.
He had also requested that a doctor of his choice be present during the autopsy.
After the suicide of three students, several issues related to their college including alleged collection of exorbitant fee, absence of requisite infrastructure and its non-affiliation for the current academic year to TN Dr MGR Medical University cropped up.
Students demanded that they be transferred to a state-run college and had also requested reimbursement of fee component over and above fixed by the government and taken by the private college management.
Yesterday, the College head, Vasuki Subramanian was sent to police custody by a Kallakurichi court till February 4.
Against this background, Jayalalithaa explained how the college now in the thick of controversy came into existence. She said an entity, "SVS Education, Social Seva Trust" got permission in 2008 from the then DMK regime to establish SVS Yoga and Naturopathy College and Research Institute with an annual intake of 50 students.
Since then (2008-09), the TN Dr MGR Medical University has given continuous provisional affiliation till 2014-15, she said.
"The application of this college (in Kallakurichi near Chinna Salem in Villupuram District) seeking affiliation for 2015-16 is under the consideration of the varsity," she said indicating clearly that so far approval has not been given for it for the current year.
On February 28, 2011, the then DMK regime gave no-objection certificate for the SVS trust to set up a Homeopathy Medical College with an annual intake of 50 students.
"However, the application of this college was rejected by the Central government (for homeopathy college)," she said.
The SVS Trust went to the Madras High Court over this issue. "Based on the High Court's orders, the TN Dr MGR Medical University gave permission for admitting students for 2014-15 and 2015-16," she said.
The Central government also gave permission for the homeopathy college on September 28, 2015, she said.
She said transfer of students in SVS Yoga and Naturopathy College to a state-run institution was ordered by her to ensure that their education was not disturbed.
As regards homeopathy students, approval of the Central Government and the Central Council of Homeopathy was needed for their transfer to other institutions, she said.
"I have ordered the authorities to take steps for getting Central nod immediately and get the students of the SVS homeopathy college transferred to the Government Homeopathy Medical College," she said.
