New twist in NRI Medical College student's suicide, harassment for additional fee alleged

MANGALAGIRI: A new twist emerged in the suicide of Kamepalli Venkata Pranav Yashwanth, a fourth-year medical student at NRI Medical College in Mangalagiri, who was found dead on August 15, 2023. In a letter addressed to the Dr YSR Vaidya Vishwa Vidyalaya and NRI College in Vijayawada on June 21, 2023, Yashwanth alleged harassment due to demand for payment of excess fee.

In the letter, Yashwanth stated that he had joined the college through management quota in 2019 and had been paying the prescribed fee of Rs 33 lakh every single year for the last four years. He mentioned that the fee for this year was paid on April 12, but the college authorities insisted on an additional payment of Rs 12 lakh.

Yashwanth further alleged that the principal insulted him in front of his fellow students despite him having paid the entire fee and that the principal directed him to discuss the matter with the college administrator. He said in the letter that the principal took action against him based on the administrator's orders.

Yashwant expressed his grievances to the university authorities and requested strict action against the NRI college management for their harassment, which was affecting his studies and his future. He also urged the authorities to ensure that he would not be harassed further and that no strict action would be taken against him.

However, Yashwanth's close friends claimed that he resorted to suicide due to the lack of a positive response from the authorities. They also said that Yashwanth was subjected to pressure by former IPS officer Mandava Vishnuvardhan Rao, who served as the college administrator, to pay additional fees.