Victim had joined NIT Calicut three days back

Guntur: Parents of an 18-year-old youth hailing from Atmakuru village of Durgi mandal of Guntur district, who was found dead in his hostel room in NIT Calicut in Kerala on Saturday, are in a state of shock.

Golla Ramakrishna Prasad, the first year student of production engineering in NIT Calicut who committed suicide on Friday, had joined the prestigious institute only on Wednesday, and spoken with his father on Thursday.

On Friday, when his father, Mr G. Peda Ramaiah, tried calling him, there was no response. Mr Ramaiah called him from another phone number, but in vain. On Saturday, the police from Durgi, Atmakur mandal, informed the family that Prasad’s body was found hanging in the hostel room.

Mr Ramaiah, a farmer at Atmakuru, said Prasad was a very bright student and that the family was not facing any financial difficulties. Speaking through his tears, he said he did not know why Prasad would have committed suicide.

Mr Ramaiah said he went with Prasad to NIT Calicut on Wednesday, gave him Rs 5,000 for his expenses. Prasad did not reveal anything during their phone conversations. Mr Ramaiah is going to Calicut to bring the body to the village to perform last rites.

Prasad’s relative G. Phakiraiah said the student was used to hostel life as he studied SSC staying at a hostel in Macharla and had completed his Intermediate from Sri Chaitanya College, Guntur. He said Prasad was Mr Ramaiah’s eldest son. NIT faculty M.V. Pavan Kumar said NIT officials passed the information to the police, who shifted the body to the medical college for autopsy and informed the parents.