NHRC seeks report on student suicides in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana: Report

NEW DELHI: In view of the rising suicide cases in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought detailed reports from both the governments on the causes that led to the suicide of intermediate students and also asked about the remedial measures taken to prevent them, the Times of India reported.

In 2019, a total of 426 students took their lives in Telangana and 383 student suicides were reported in Andhra Pradesh, the report said. The NHRC bench also informed that the figures for 2020 are not available owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by K Sravan Kumar, an advocate from Telangana, currently practising in the Supreme Court.

Suggesting for a change in strategy, the commission asked both the states to submit a preliminary report within six weeks. The report further said that the NHRC bench warned of penal action against the chief secretaries of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana if failed to respond.

The NHRC had directed the chief secretaries of the two states to report on student suicides in December last year.

According to Sravan Kumar, a majority of the students study studying in private colleges face extreme pressure. Untrained teaching staff, lack of counselling and hostels without basic facilities compound their problems, the TOI report added.

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