Dana case: Amity dismisses allegations of discrimination

New Delhi: With Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma pressing for CBI probe into the death of his niece Dana Sangma, Amity University today dismissed allegations that the student, who allegedly committed suicide after being caught with a mobile phone during an exam, was discriminated against. The University strongly defended its action of asking Dana to leave the exam hall after she was found with a mobile phone inside the hall saying the same process would have been applied to any another student in such circumstances and suggested Dana may have taken the extreme step due to personal reasons. [caption id=“attachment_298837” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Reuters”]  [/caption] Addressing a press conference here, authorities of the University’s Gurgaon campus on the city outskirts, where Sangma was studying, said there is “feedback” that the girl was using her phone continuously for a few days, sometimes throughout the night before the incident and also she was seen crying. “This may indicate that there may be some personal reasons that led to big mental pressure on Dana. These reasons may emerge further in the course of investigation,” Padmakali Banerjee, Co-Vice Chancellor of the University, said. “The untimely demise of Dana Sangma is a tragic incident which certainly cannot be attributed to racial or regional discrimination,” she said. Her comments came in the wake of Mukul Sangma alleging that his niece was subjected to discrimination by the college staff that led to her taking the extreme step of committing suicide. The University authorities also said Dana’s “unfortunate death” has raised a very vital question in the teaching community. “If any student is found copying during an exam, what should be the role of the invigilator? Should the invigilator close his eyes and allow the students to follow wrong practices during their exams? Or, should the invigilator act then and there to conduct free and fair exams,” Banerjee asked. PTI