Tragedy in Telangana: Student’s Suicide Sparks Midnight Protests in Hyderabad’s Ashok Nagar

Social Issues Social Inequalities and exclusion

Posted by NewAdmin on 2025-04-11 09:04:55 |

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On October 13, 2023, Hyderabad witnessed a tragic incident when 23-year-old M. Pravalika, a civil services aspirant from Warangal, died by suicide in her hostel room in Ashok Nagar. She had been preparing for the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) Group-II exams, which had been postponed multiple times due to administrative issues, including question paper leaks.

The news of her death sparked massive protests in Ashok Nagar, with hundreds of students gathering to express their grief and frustration. Protesters sat on the road with Pravalika's body, demanding justice and accountability from the authorities. The situation escalated as students blocked roads and raised slogans against the state government, accusing it of negligence in conducting the exams. ​

Prominent political figures, including BJP MP K. Laxman and Congress leader Anil Kumar Yadav, joined the protests, criticizing the government's handling of the examination process. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president A. Revanth Reddy termed Pravalika's death a "murder by the government" and called for the ousting of the current administration.
The protests continued into the early hours of October 14, leading to tensions in the area. Police intervened to disperse the crowd and took Pravalika's body to Gandhi Hospital for autopsy. The incident has highlighted the immense pressure faced by students preparing for competitive exams and the need for systemic reforms to address their concerns.

In a heart-wrenching incident that has shaken the student community across Telangana, 23-year-old M. Pravalika, a dedicated civil services aspirant, died by suicide in her hostel room located in Ashok Nagar, Hyderabad — a hub for thousands of competitive exam candidates. She was reportedly disheartened and mentally distressed due to the repeated postponements of the TSPSC (Telangana State Public Service Commission) Group-II exams.

Pravalika, originally from Warangal, had been rigorously preparing for the exam for over two years. The last-minute deferral of the exam, attributed to administrative failures and a history of question paper leaks, seemed to be the breaking point.

News of her untimely death spread rapidly, leading to massive spontaneous protests by fellow students and youth organizations late into the night. Hundreds gathered in Ashok Nagar — some sitting in the streets with placards, others raising slogans condemning the government's inefficiency and insensitivity towards students’ issues.

The protesters, many of whom were also Group-II aspirants, demanded justice for Pravalika and accountability from the state government and the TSPSC. Emotional scenes unfolded as students mourned her death, calling it not suicide but "a murder by the system."

Political leaders from opposition parties, including BJP and Congress, reached the protest site, echoing the sentiments of the students. Telangana Congress President A. Revanth Reddy stated, “This government has failed its youth. Pravalika is a victim of this failure.”

The police, while trying to control the crowd, took Pravalika's body to Gandhi Hospital for a postmortem. Meanwhile, student groups across Telangana have called for a bandh (shutdown) and demanded the resignation of TSPSC officials.

This tragedy has once again raised critical questions about the mental health of students and the accountability of institutions responsible for their academic futures.

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