Beas tragedy: Himachal Pradesh event was not first one VNR Vignan Jyothy Engineering College

Hyderabad: The Beas River tragedy is not the first one involving the VNR Vignan Jyothy Engineering College.

Two students died in October 2012 when they were forced to go to the Pulichintala project for an ‘educational tour,’ like the one to Himachal Pradesh.

The tours are named ‘shadow engineering’ by the college. Their parents protested on Wednesday against the reckless attitude of the college.

They also say there have been more incidents during these educational tours but have been swept under the carpet by the college.

Civil engineering student K. Ajay and mechanical engineering student Mohan Kumar died when they fell into the water near the dam and were washed away.

K Prahallad, father of K. Ajay, said, “These are not the only ones. They have been at least two in between. The college suppresses everything and doesn’t allow students to talk to anyone. They pay off the families.”

VNR’s shadowy shadow engineering started with the Pulichintala tour. “My son and others were the first ones for the tour. It is compulsory, and we had to pay Rs 8,500 for the tour to Krishna. They extort more if it’s a long distance trip. They don’t care about the students.”

Prahallad, an assistant to a medical practitioner, also alleged that the college tried to pay him Rs 2 lakh when his son died.

“I refused to take the money. But later I went to them to ask for a seat for my daughter. Principal Naidu said a seat is not a chocolate to be given away like that,” he said.

“I lost my son because of them. He was gold to me,” Prahallad lamented.