UP student dies after setting himself on fire for being assaulted, ‘humiliated’ over unpaid fees
A 20-year-old college student from Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district died on Sunday, a day after he set himself on fire allegedly after he was assaulted and denied permission to appear for an examination over non-payment of fees, The Indian Express reported.
Ujjwal Rana was a second-year Bachelor of Arts student at DAV PG College in Budhana town.
On Thursday, Rana recorded a video outside the college claiming that his examination form had not been accepted because he had been unable to pay the full fee. He said he had managed to pay Rs 1,700, while Rs 7,000 was still pending.
He also accused the college principal, Pradeep Kumar, and three police officers of humiliating and assaulting him for not being able to pay the fees, The Indian Express reported.
“The principal insulted me in front of everyone, saying that ‘this college is not a dharamshala',” The Indian Express quoted him as saying in the video. “He pulled my hair and beat me. When I spoke up for students who could not pay fees, the college called the police.”
Rana alleged that the police officers abused him and pushed him out of the college. He ended the video saying that the principal and the three officers should be held responsible if anything happened to him.
In response to the video, Pradeep Kumar told The Indian Express that the college administration wanted Rana's father to visit the institute and “explain the situation” before his examination form could be accepted. He also said that Rana had paid Rs 1,750 of the total fee.
“If he could not afford the fee, he could have applied for a government scholarship,” Pradeep Kumar was quoted as saying.
Rana was a resident of Khakaroban village in Budhana tehsil. His father, Harendra, is a farmer who owns about 13 bighas of land under sugarcane cultivation. His mother had died a few years ago.
On Saturday morning, the 20-year-old set himself on fire near the college, sustaining 70% burn injuries, PTI reported. Purported videos of the incident, which took place around 11.30 am, were widely shared on social media.
Rana was first taken to a local hospital and later referred to Delhi due to the severity of his injuries. His uncle told PTI that he died during treatment on Sunday.
Following the incident, Muzaffarnagar District Magistrate Umesh Mishra and Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kumar Verma visited the college and ordered an inquiry, The Indian Express reported. Budhana Circle Officer Gajendra Pal Singh said a complaint had been received around 1 pm on Saturday, adding that “strict action will be taken against anyone involved in instigating the student”, the newspaper reported.
Rana's sister later filed a complaint against the principal, the college manager, a teacher and the three police personnel, PTI reported. A case of abetment to suicide, assault and criminal intimidation has been registered against the principal, according to The Indian Express.
Responding to allegations of police assault, PTI quoted Senior Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kumar as saying on Monday that the three officers, Sub-Inspector Nand Kishor and constables Vineet and Gyanvir, had been attached to the police lines for negligence of duty.
State minister Anil Kumar said that he has directed district authorities to take appropriate action against those involved, PTI reported.
The Uttar Pradesh Congress, meanwhile, demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident and the arrest of the college officials and police personnel named in the case.
State Congress chief Ajay Rai called it a “murder by the system”, saying the incident reflected the state of the education system, PTI reported.
He alleged that both the Adityanath-led state government and the Centre were responsible for Rana's death, claiming that students were being pressured by college administrations and local authorities over fees.
Rai also demanded Rs 1 crore in compensation and a government job for Rana's family, the news agency reported.
Source: Scroll
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