Bengaluru: A 23-year-old medical student allegedly died by suicide after being reportedly harassed at her college, police and family sources said on Friday. The incident occurred in Chandapura near Anekal, on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

The deceased has been identified as Yashasvini, a third-year student at a private dental college in Bommanahalli, Bengaluru, enrolled in the Oral Medicine and Radiology division.

Her parents alleged that she was humiliated in class for missing a single day of college due to an eye-related problem.

According to police, Yashasvini did not attend classes on January 7 because of eye pain. When she returned the next day, the lecturer allegedly mocked her, making sarcastic comments about the eye drops she had used.

She was reportedly asked, “How many drops did you apply? Did you pour the entire bottle into your eye?” She was also allegedly denied permission to present a seminar and handle a radiology case.

Yashasvini’s mother, Parimala, said her daughter faced public humiliation, which drove her to take the extreme step. “She had sustained an eye injury and had informed the family about it. She was insulted over her eye problem in front of the entire class. She shared everything with me. Don’t they have children? The lecturer and the college management insulted my daughter, following which she took the extreme step,” she said.

Parimala demanded strict action against the lecturer and the college authorities. “My daughter was completely focused on her studies and did not waste even an hour. How could a lecturer humiliate her in front of the whole class? If she were absent, they should have called the parents. How can they target my child?”

She added that her daughter was diligent and rank-holding, and such humiliation deeply affected her. “She was sensitive and feared that she might get poor marks, which would upset me. I have only one daughter. Whom should I share my grief with? No other child should face such injustice,” she said.

Police said further investigation is underway, and more details are awaited.

This is the latest in a series of student suicides reported in Karnataka’s medical colleges in 2025. In August, a postgraduate psychiatry student at Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS) died after reportedly consuming medication while undergoing treatment for depression. In July, a first-year MBBS student at Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS) was found hanging in his hostel. In June, a final-year intern at Subbaiah Medical College, Shivamogga, originally from Bengaluru, was found dead in her hostel room.