Nineteen-year-old engineering student Renuka Balaji Salunke, hailing from Lohara Taluka in Dharashiv district, tragically took her own life in her hostel room at Bharati Vidyapeeth in Pune. Fed up with relentless bullying and harassment from hostel staff and roommates, Renuka, who aspired to work in a prestigious engineering firm, resorted to self-immolation. The incident underscores the urgent need for addressing issues of harassment and mental health support within educational institutions.
As per the police, Renuka took the drastic step on March 7 in her hostel room bathroom at around 9:00 AM. Hearing loud screaming and smoke emitting from the room, the hostel staff immediately went into the room and rushed Renuka to Surya Hospital she succumbed to her burn injuries during treatment.
A case under sections 354, 306 and 34 has been registered against Satish Jadhav who works in the canteen of the girl's hostel and Muskan Mahendrasingh Siddha (age 19) who is the roommate of Renuka. Balaji Dhondiba Salunkhe (age 49, resident of Jevali, district Lohara, district Dharashiv) has filed a complaint at the Bharti Vidyapeeth Police Station.
According to the police, the accused Satish Jadhav used to send obscene messages to Renuka and even stalked her. In contrast, Muskan who was the roommate of Renuka used to trouble her while studying by turning the lights off and even taunting and bullying her.
The step taken by Renuka has opened Pandora's box and once again brought to light the safety and mental health issues of students studying in college, especially hostilities. The state government has ordered the colleges and universities to appoint an anti-raging committee however this incident has raised questions on the functioning of the committee.
Prashant Kanojia, Maharashtra State Co-ordinator of Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarti Sena, while talking to LokmatTimes.com said, “The college and university management should be held responsible for such incidents. We demand that the government should make background verification of employees working in the college's various departments, like canteen, security, parking and other teaching and non-teaching staff, to be made mandatory. A criminal check and police record of every employee should be checked as it concerns the safety of the students. The college should have counseling sessions and the anti-raging committee should be active to avoid such incidents from happening in the future.”