Principal of Indore College Set on Fire by Ex-Student Succumbs to Injuries
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Indore: The principal of BM College of Pharmacy in the Simrol area in Indore who was set on fire by a former student succumbed to injuries in a local hospital on Saturday.
Vimukta Sharma, 54, was set ablaze on February 20 by an ex-student Ashutosh Shrivastava (24), over a delay in receiving his B.Pharm mark sheet. He allegedly poured petrol and set the principal on fire.
Sharma reportedly suffered over 80% burn injuries.
The accused, who was arrested on Monday, is currently in police custody.
The accused has reported failed the 7th semester, according to Bhagwat Singh Virde, SP Rural, Indore.
Sharma’s daughter alleged that the Indore police did not act on a complaint regarding threatening messages sent to the principal.
‘Shrivastava had sent my mother threatening messages on WhatsApp before setting her on fire. After receiving the messages, she was too tense. A complaint was lodged with the police’, she said.
It is unfortunate that the police did not take any action on the complaint. Had the police taken prompt action, my mother would not have been harmed," she added demanding the strictest possible punishment for the accused.
“We have taken possession of objects used during the incident. Victim’s family said they registered a complaint earlier also. Simrol ASI Sanjeev Tiwari has been suspended for negligence, and not conducting the investigation properly,” Virde told ANI.
Shrivastava was earlier booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 307 (attempt to murder). Those charges would likely be changed after the principal’s death.
Virde said the incident is being probed, but added the threatening messages were sent to the principal long ago and nothing recently.
The management of the institute said Shrivastava had “criminal tendencies”. Shrivastava had allegedly stabbed an assistant professor at the college, Dr Vijay Patel, in October last year over a similar dispute with regard to his mark sheet, according to police.
Shrivastava was arrested in that case back then, but was later released on bail, the police officer added.
The college management said that the accused was putting undue pressure on the principal to withdraw the four-month-old case against him.
The district administration has invoked the National Security Act (NSA) against Shrivastava for conspiring and committing the heinous crime, he said.