Plagued by loan woes, student kills self

CHENNAI: A 17-year-old engineering student hanged himself in his hostel room, apparently plagued by loan woes, at Thiruporur on Thursday.L Vino Tendulkar’s father Lourde Samy, a resident of Sithathur village in Villupuram district, was a farm labourer, sources said. An aspiring first generation graduate of his family, Vino hoped to get educational loan from banks for his five-year electronic and communication course at an engineering college in Thandalam.The youth was pursuing his first year and stayed in the college hostel room with four others. On Thursday morning, Vino appeared for an internal examination and ate at the canteen later with his roommates. He claimed that he was unwell and retired to his room, while his friends led to attend regular classes, the sources said.On returning to the hostel room, Vino’s friends found the room locked from inside. When repeated knocks failed to elicit any response, they informed the college authorities. On breaking open the door and entering the room, the authorities found that Vino had hanged himself from the fan with a nylon rope. On the basis of a complaint from the college principal in-charge Vijaraghavan, Thiruporur inspector Balasubramani sent the body for autopsy to the Chengalpattu medical college hospital.Sources quoting the victim’s friends said he was depressed since his return from his village as all his efforts to secure educational loans reportedly came to naught.