Arunachal student found dead in Kerala; minister promises probe

A 20-year-old engineering student from Arunachal Pradesh was found dead at his rented house in Kothamangalam near Ernakulam, Kerala, on Saturday. The student, Michi Marpu, a third-year B Tech student at MA College of Engineering (MACE), was found lying on the floor with a rope around his neck, police said. He was rushed to Kothamangalam Taluk Hospital but declared dead on arrival.

Police recovered a three-page suicide note and suspect Marpu feared losing a year after low marks, Siasat.com reports. Students allege the college's minimum credit requirement of 22 credits, higher than the 18 credits at colleges affiliated to Kerala Technological University, caused distress. The Hindu quotes Higher Education Minister Roji M. John promising a police investigation and a department-level inquiry, but says the government has limited power over autonomous colleges' academic decisions.

Police have registered an unnatural death case. The postmortem will be conducted after Marpu's relatives arrive from Arunachal Pradesh. Student groups SFI and KSU have announced a protest.