Death of three Tamil Nadu students shrouded in mystery

The death of three girl students of a naturopathy college in Tamil Nadu's Villupuram district is shrouded in mystery, with police registering a case of suicide and parents calling it murder.

The bodies T. Monisha, A. Saranya and V. Priyanka -- all students of SVS Naturopathy and Yoga College -- were taken out of a farm well near the college on Saturday evening.

Villupuram is located around 170 km from here.

According to police, a case of suicide has been registered as the students decided to end their lives after the college management demanded high fees although the college lacked basic facilities.

The latest deaths occurred nearly four months after some students of the same college attempted suicide in front of the Villupuram Collectorate.

The authorities have sealed the college following the death of the three girl students.

Police said four people have been picked up for interrogation.

Tamil Nadu Health Minister C. Vijayabhaskar told reporters that a probe would be conducted.

Expressing shock and grief over the triple deaths, PMK founder S. Ramadoss on Sunday said the college students have been protesting against lack of basic facilities for a long time.

He said despite a complaint to the district collector, no action was taken and some students attempted suicide earlier.

Ramadoss urged the Tamil Nadu government to pay a compensation of Rs.25 lakh to the families of the three students and admit the other students in a government-run college.

Communist Party of India leader R. Mutharasan asked the police to register a case of mysterious death. He also sought action against police and district officials for not acting on complaints against the college.