HC relief for teachers in student suicide case

Observing that a student of dentistry who committed suicide in December 2005 was hypersensitive,the Bombay High Court earlier this month discharged two of the teachers of her college,who had been booked for abetting her suicide.

Observing that a student of dentistry who committed suicide in December 2005 was hypersensitive,the Bombay High Court earlier this month discharged two of the teachers of her college,who had been booked for abetting her suicide. Justice B R Gavai wrote in his 19-page order that to compel the applicants (teachers) to face criminal trial would be nothing but travesty of justice.

Sneha Dandade was a final-year student of the Bachelor of Dental Surgery at the MGV Dental College and Hospital in Nashik. On December 10,2005,she committed suicide by hanging herself in her hostel room after which her father Anil Dandade filed a complaint against Dr Seema Bhoosreddy,a professor,and Dr Nitin Dani,head of the department of peridontology. He stated they had targeted his daughter in college that led her to taking her own life. Bhoosreddy and Dani were booked under Section 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code and had sought discharge before a sessions court that turned down their plea.

According to a note left behind by Dandade,she said no one but she herself was responsible for her death. I have lost and totally given up, her note said.

However,relying on the statements of Vedavati Gadre,Snehas roommate and Abhishek Barmeda,who was like a brother to Sneha,additional public prosecutor Yogesh Nakhwa opposed the plea made by Bhoosreddy and Dani. Gadre said Bhoosreddy had shouted at Sneha when she answered a question incorrectly and asked her to write the answer five times. Dani had allegedly refused to accept Snehas assignment as she came after 12.30 pm and asked her to repeat it. According to the statements given to the police,Sneha was crying through all this.

Arguing for Bhoosreddy,senior counsel Ashok Mundargi told the court that there was no mens rea (guilty mind) to show that the teachers had instigated the suicide. Even in her note she had stated that her teachers had reprimanded her for her own benefit but it is she who was not in a position to face the world anymore.

Discharging the teachers from the offence,Justice Gavai observed,From the suicide note it would be clear that she had lost her confidence and was apprehensive that she would not be in a position to complete her course successfully. She appeared to be a hypersensitive person unable to face the ground realities of life.

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Bombay High Court

HC relief for teachers in student suicide case

Observing that a student of dentistry who committed suicide in December 2005 was hypersensitive,the Bombay High Court earlier this month discharged two of the teachers of her college,who had been booked for abetting her suicide.

Observing that a student of dentistry who committed suicide in December 2005 was hypersensitive,the Bombay High Court earlier this month discharged two of the teachers of her college,who had been booked for abetting her suicide.