HC allows detained students to attend funeral of Monisha

Chennai: The Madras High Court today allowed 24 students, detained by police, to attend the funeral of one of the three girl students, who committed suicide last week in Villupuram, upon furnishing their respective addresses and undertaking not to indulge in any form of protest.

They shall peacefully attend the funeral and disperse, a division bench comprising Justice S Nagamuthu and Justice C T Selvam said in its order on a habeas corpus petition by one M Ramu, a fellow student of the 24 detained.

The Additional Public Prosecutor submitted that the persons detained were members of Revolutionary Students Youth Federation (RSYF) an organization frequently engaging in acts allegedly detrimental to public law and order.

On information that they intended to gather unlawfully at the place of conduct of second post-mortem of the three girls and indulge in acts of solganeering against the state, the 24 persons were taken into custody this morning.

He further submitted that they refused to furnish their addresses and that the intent of the police in detaining them was only to avoid any untoward incident. They would be released immediately after the funeral, he added.

Counsel for the petitioner said all 24 of them intended only to attend the funeral and would conduct themselves in a peaceful manner.

He further submitted that they would furnish their addresses to the concerned police authorities.

Recording the undertaking and the affidavit filed by the detenues, the bench allowed them to participate in the funeral of Monisha.

The three girl students of SVS Medical College of Yoga and Naturopathy at Villupuram committed suicide by jumping into a farm well after ‘harassment’ by the management demanding ‘exorbitant’ fees, triggering protests.