Thrashed by teacher, student drops dead

PUDUCHERRY: In a shocking incident, a second year polytechnic student dropped dead in the classroom after he was repeatedly thrashed by a teacher, who lost his temper twice—first as the student failed to answer his question and then for looking at him while marching out of class on his orders— at Villupuram on Wednesday.The 17-year-old boy, D Prabhakaran, son of Samsa Dharmaraj, a Puducherry DMK functionary, who died of heart attack a few years ago, was rushed to a nearby private hospital, where he was declared ‘brought dead’.Lecturer Gunasekaran was taking classes for second-year automobile engineering students at the Elumalai Polytechnic when he asked Prabhakaran a question. As he failed to answer, the teacher beat him up black and blue and then asked him to leave the class. As the student looked at the teacher while walking out, the teacher grabbed him and rained blows till he blacked out and dropped on the floor. The news of Prabhakaran’s death triggered tension and students staged a road roko on the Villupuram-Tiruchy highway. Police resorted to cane charge as the protest turned violent.Villupuram district revenue officer R Priya, DSP Sekar and ADSP Perumal reached the spot and pacified to the students, who demanded the arrest of the lecturer and compensation for the victim’s family. The police after talking to the college authorities arrested Gunasekaran. A case has been registered at the Villupuram Taluk police station. On receiving the information, Orleanpet (Puducherry) MLA, G Nehru, went to the Villupuram Government hospital and consoled the relatives of the boy.