Pune: Girl student from reputed engineering college immolates self, dies during treatment

She was fed up with eve-teasing by canteen staffer and harassment by her room-mate

Pune: A 19-year-old girl student from a reputed engineering college in the city immolated herself. Later, she succumbed to burns during treatment.

She reportedly took the extreme step due to eve-teasing by a canteen staffer and harassment by her room-mate. The incident took place on March 7. A case has been registered at the Bharati Vidyapeeth Police Station.

The deceased has been identified as Renuka Balaji Salunkhe. Canteen employee Satish Jadhav and her room-mate Muskan Mahendra Singh Siddhu (19) have been booked in this regard. Balaji Dhondiba Salunkhe (49), a resident of Osmanabad district, lodged a complaint.

According to the details, the complainant’s daughter Renuka was staying in the hostel of Bharati Vidyapeeth’s engineering college. Jadhav used to send her ‘I love you’ messages. ‘Why are you so busy? I sent you so many messages’, he would say. This frightened Renuka. Her room-mate Muskan would not allow her to study. She would switch off lights while Renuka was studying. Fed up with this torture, Renuka immolated herself in the bathroom of her room at around 9 pm on March 7. She was immediately rushed to the Surya Hospital for treatment. However, she died during treatment. The police were investigating further.