A final-year BDS student at Pacific Dental College, Udaipur, died by suicide, blaming staff for harassment. Her death sparked protests by students, who accused the administration of unfair practices and mental pressure.
A 25-year-old final-year dental student, Shweta Singh, was found dead in her hostel room at Pacific Dental College and Hospital, Debari, near Rajasthan's Udaipur, on Thursday night. The incident shocked students and staff, and soon led to mass protests on campus.
Shweta, who came from a family in Jammu and Kashmir, was the only daughter of a police constable. She was pursuing a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) and had been struggling due to academic delays.
Suicide note blames college staff for harassment
A handwritten suicide note was recovered from her room. In the note, Shweta blamed two staff members, Naini ma'am and Bhagwat sir, for mental harassment. She wrote about:
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- Irregular exam schedules
- Unfair failure of students
- Frequent money demands by the college
Pressure especially on students who could not pay
Shweta was part of an older batch, and her friends say she had been waiting over 1.5 years for her final exams. "She should have been an intern by now," said a fellow student, "but she was still stuck in her final year’s internal exams."
Students protest, allege systematic abuse
Late Thursday night and into Friday morning, hundreds of students gathered outside the college gate. They blocked the main entrance, sat on dharna (protest) and chanted slogans, demanding justice for Shweta. The students have called for action against the staff members mentioned in the alleged suicide note.
The students also accused the college of targeting poor students with unnecessary monetary demands and creating pressure through attendance and exam policies.
They said many complaints were ignored by the administration in the past.
Police begin investigation
Police from Sukher station reached the college soon after the news broke. The body was taken to a hospital, where Shweta was declared dead. Police said that they will wait for Shweta's father to arrive before doing the postmortem.
A formal FIR will be filed after that. A probe has started and faculty members will be questioned.
The team will also examine college records to check for wrongdoing.
College responds, sacks two staff members
The college has expelled the two staff members named in the suicide note. Rahul Agrawal, chairman of the Pacific Group that runs the college, acknowledged the students' concerns. He promised a full resolution within 2-3 months.
He publicly reprimanded the principal Dr Ravi Kumar for failing to address earlier complaints. The police probe is still going on. Students say they will continue to protest until justice is done.
