Bengaluru: The mother of a 23-year-old third-year dental student, Yashaswini B, who was found hanging in her bedroom on Jan 8, has accused six of her daughter’s lecturers of abetment to suicide.Based on her complaint, Suryanagar police in Bengaluru Rural district have registered a zero FIR, which has been transferred to Bommanahalli police for further investigation.
Initially, police had registered a case of unnatural death, following a complaint filed by Yashaswini’s mother, G Pramila. However, on Sunday, she submitted a fresh complaint, alleging sustained harassment by a group of lecturers at Oxford Dental College on Hosur Road here, leading to the registration of a new case. Based on Pramila’s complaint, police have booked the accused under BNS Section 108 (abetment to suicide). The FIR names lecturers Dr Anmol, Dr Alba, Dr Shabana, Dr Faika, Dr Sindhu and Dr Sushmini. Yashaswini had left behind a suicide note, stating she alone was responsible for taking the extreme step and that no one else was to be blamed. The note was sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to determine whether the handwriting is hers. Despite the contents of the note, Pramila insisted that her daughter had been subjected to continuous harassment and humiliation by the lecturers over the past year. She claimed Yashaswini was frequently reprimanded for arriving a few minutes late to class and was allegedly targeted over her dressing style. According to the complaint, when Yashaswini did not respond to these remarks, the lecturers allegedly awarded her lower marks in seminars. Pramila said her daughter repeatedly confided in her about the distress and insults she faced at college. Pramila further stated that a day before her death, Yashaswini suffered from eye pain and skipped classes. When she returned to college on Jan 8, she was allegedly insulted in front of her classmates. The lecturers reportedly questioned her about the medicines she had taken, the number of eye drops she used, and asked why she had come to college if she was still in pain. The complaint also alleges that the lecturers made remarks about Yashaswini’s skin colour and questioned her suitability to become a doctor, asking why she wanted to pursue the profession “with this face”, allegedly referring to her complexion. Pramila said she had counselled her daughter, telling her to ignore the comments and focus on her studies, assuring her that perseverance mattered more than reacting to insults.
