SSC student ends life, family alleges murder

Kurnool: Preethi Bai (15), an SSC student, allegedly committed suicide by hanging to the ceiling fan at her hostel room at a residential school on the outskirts of the town on Saturday morning. However, Ram Chandra Naik, uncle of the deceased who works at legal services authority, alleged that the girl was sexually assaulted and killed by school correspondent Cattamanchi Janardhan Reddy and his two sons. He said after assaulting her sexually on Friday night, they killed and hanged her to the ceiling fan. Preethi joined the residential school four years ago.

Naik said Preethi was a bright student at the school. But, the school correspondent Cattamanchi Janardhan Reddy had been harassing her sexually for the last four days, he said. Naik also alleged that Reddy’s two sons too were also doing the same thing in the absence of their father.

Unable to bear their harassment, Preethi reported the issue to her father Raju Naik and even wanted to discontinue studies. However, Raju who runs a Mee Seva centre in Kurnool wanted her to continue studies. He told her that next year she would be shifted to Vijayawada.

On Saturday, Raju received a call from the school stating that his daughter had committed suicide by hanging to the ceiling fan. Prior to informing the parents, the school management reportedly informed the police.

By the time the parents reached the school, the management arranged a Sumo to shift the body to the mortuary at Kurnool General Hospital. But the family took the body and staged an agitation in front of the Collectorate. Student organisations also extended their support to them. Police are yet to register a case as no complaint was lodged.