Hyderabad: Anger Over MA Student Death, Was Accused Of Laptop Theft

Tension has gripped University of Hyderabad campus after the death of a postgraduate student. Several student organisations on campus have alleged that the 22-year-old MA students, Mayukh Kundu, was assaulted and publicly humiliated days before he was found dead near the campus lake.

Kundu, a first-year MA Financial Economics student from West Bengal, was found dead near Buffalo Lake near the university campus on Tuesday. In a letter purportedly written by Kundu and found in his room, he stated that he was not involved in the theft of laptops from the hostel rooms. In the note, he also apologised to his mother for ending his life and urged her to stay strong.

Police have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. "We have registered a case under Section 194 BNS and are investigating all angles related to the death of the student," a police officer from Gachibowli police station under the Cyberabad Commissionerate said.

In a joint statement issued on Thursday, a coalition of student organisations, including ASA, AISA, SFI, Fraternity, DSU, MSF, TSF and others alleged that the events leading up to Kundu's death began on the night of May 17.

According to the statement, the student was allegedly harassed, assaulted, and pressured into confessing to a laptop theft by a group of students. The statement further claimed that he was detained inside a hostel room and subjected to humiliation and coercion outside any formal university procedure.

The students' joint statement demanded a fair inquiry and accountability, time-bound action against those accused of assault and intimidation. The student bodies have also demanded that accountability be fixed on the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, and Office of the Proctor, apart from compensation and support for Kundu's family in West Bengal.

The student groups have also called for expanded counselling, mental health support systems on campus, and stronger mechanisms to prevent harassment and mob vigilantism inside the university.