Kochi: Students of Nehru College of Engineering and Research Centre, Pampady, Thrissur, on Monday asked the college authorities to pay a compensation of Rs 14 lakh to the parents of Vishnu Pranoy and rename the road leading from Pampady junction to the college as ‘Jishnu Smarana Road’ in memory of the first year B. Tech student who committed suicide on January 6.
The official address of the college must reflect the name change, the students said, adding that the renaming will ensure that no one ever forgets this incident. “It will prevent the college officials from harassing students anymore,” they said.
The Facebook page started by supporters of the ‘Justice for Jishnu’ campaign shared the demands on Monday. The students asked whether the fine collected by the college is accounted properly paying tax.
The students are planning to finalise their demands and submit the same to the college authorities in the coming days. Students fearing backlash are using Facebook page to raise their issues.
The college is infamous for fining students for even small reasons, they said. “Rs 14 lakh is a small fine for the harassment/torture of all the students over the past 14 years,” a post said. “If this compensation is not paid by 30th January 2017, there will be late-fee of Rs 1 lakh per day” it said, referring to the fines the colleges is alleged to have collected from the students for making late payments.
Students also asked the college management to permit an independent student union in all colleges under the Nehru Group. These student unions can seek support of student organisations such as SFI, KSU, ABVP to deal with any issues. The president and secretary of this student union must be elected democratically every year.
