Bhubaneswar, April 9: Khandagiri police today arrested a staff member of a private engineering college following the death of a first-year student who allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling fan of her hostel room yesterday afternoon. The incident sparked violence on the campus.

Family members and students of the N.M. Institute of Engineering and Technology at Patrapada alleged that the authorities had been mentally harassing Sudeshna Saha, 19, citing pending dues, which forced her to take such a step.

The students and Sudeshna’s relatives staged a protest this afternoon in front of the residence of employment and technical education and training minister Pratap Keshari Deb. They demanded action against the college authorities. They also gheraoed the office of deputy commissioner of police Nitinjeet Singh.

The police said that following Sudeshna’s death, the students ransacked at least 10 buses, smashing doors and windows on the campus. Senior police officers failed to convince the angry students to keep calm. They sent the girl’s body for post-mortem.

Sudeshna, who was an orphan, had been staying with her maternal uncle in West Bokaro, Jharkhand. She had taken admission into electronics and communication engineering stream at the institute last year.

Her uncle Sitaram Saha, an employee of Tisco, alleged that they had paid all the fees to the college authorities during admission.

“Later, they said there were certain dues pending and they did not allow our daughter to appear for her first semester examination. She had been complaining about the mental harassment by the college authorities. One of the staff members used harsh words against her. They forced her to end her life,” said Saha.

Rupesh Saha, a relative of the girl said they lodged a complaint with the police against the college authorities.

The police have registered a case under section 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and arrested administrator of the college Bhagirathi Mallick.

Though the chairman, director and principal of the college did not say anything, staff member related to admission matters J.D. Parida said the girl had not got her registration number, which was provided by the Odisha Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE) authorities through Biju Pattnaik University of Technology (BPUT).

“Though she had some dues pending we never put pressure on her to pay. There are several students who have pending dues. We don’t know why she committed suicide,” said Parida.

This is the second such incident in the past four months. On January 2, Sanjeet Pattnaik a third-year electronic and telecommunication student of Mahavir Institute of Engineering and Technology on the city outskirts committed suicide by jumping in front of a train after the college authorities had barred him from appearing for an examination, as he had not paid the capitation fee.

Convener of the students’ association Biplab Mohanty said though such incidents were taking place, the government did not pay any heed. “We demand action against such colleges and stringent punishment for the college authorities,” said Mohanty.

The minister later met the students as well as the relative of the girl and assured them of action against the college authorities. “If the aggrieved family members give me their complaints in writing, I will definitely look into the matter. The college authorities will be punished if found guilty,” said Deb.

Parida said the girl had taken admission through the AIEEE management quota. However, admission under this quota and related matter were sub-judice and students had not got their registration numbers yet for which Sudeshna could not appear for exams in the first semester. “The college has no role in her death. It is normal to tell students to pay their fees, but we do not force anyone,” said Parida, adding that a fact-finding team of the BPUT today visited the college. The authorities also have declared a sine die in the college.