About 10 years after a student of Gnanambikai Government Arts College for Women in Mayiladuthurai fell to death on the campus, the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) on Monday (November 17, 2025) recommended that the Tamil Nadu government pay a compensation of ₹3 lakh to her legal heirs. The Commission had taken suo motu cognisance of a report in The Hindu dated October 14, 2015.
According to the report, 19-year-old Ramya, along with her friend Shanmugapriya, had gone to the terrace of the college. Unaware of their presence, the watchman had locked the doors. Growing anxious, they had attempted to climb down using a dupatta. In their attempt, Ramya had lost her balance and fell.
She had been taken to the Mayiladuthurai Government Hospital and then to Thanjavur Medical College Hospital, where she had died. The police had registered a case.
The Commission called for reports from the Director of Collegiate Education, Nagapattinam Superintendent of Police, and the Principal, Gnanambikai Government Arts College for Women. Considering the fatal incident and the circumstances that led to it, the Commission said there was “clear negligence” on the part of the college authorities, as well as the Director of Collegiate Education, which amounted to a violation of human rights of the victim.
