Student suicide over ‘harassment by staff’ sparks uproar at Udaipur medical college

Tensions flared at Udaipur’s Pacific Dental College after an MBBS student died by suicide in her hostel room July 24 night, leaving behind a chilling handwritten note alleging sustained mental harassment and exploitation by college authorities. The tragedy has ignited massive protests across the campus, with students accusing the administration of systemic abuse and demanding immediate action.

The 22-year-old student was discovered hanging in her room by her roommate around 11 pm and rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead on arrival. A suicide note found at the scene has since become the center of a growing storm.

In the note, the student accused faculty members of subjecting her and others to continuous harassment, citing erratic exam schedules, arbitrary marking and failure, pressure over attendance, and persistent financial demands. She alleged that students who could not pay were deliberately targeted and emotionally coerced by the administration.

Within hours, a video surfaced showing scores of students staging an angry protest outside the college gates. Chants of “Justice for the victim echoed as demonstrators blocked the entrance and sat on a dharna, demanding action against the specific staff members named in the note.

“This is not suicide — it’s murder by harassment,” a protester shouted during the sit-in. “We live in fear of failing for no reason, of being extorted, of our careers being destroyed at will.”

Police from Sukher station responded to the scene, urging students to disperse, but the crowd refused to back down. Protesters insisted that unless concrete action was taken and the named staff held accountable, the agitation would continue.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, and the contents of the note are being verified. So far, no arrests have been made.

As grief and outrage ripple through the institution, questions mount over the college’s internal functioning and the alleged culture of academic intimidation. The incident has cast a harsh spotlight on mental health vulnerabilities among medical students — and the urgent need for institutional reform and oversight.