Hyderabad: A 20-year-old engineering student, who had allegedly endured sexual harassment and assault during an internship at a coal mine, was allegedly murdered by her former lecturer after he learnt about her ‘closeness’ with an overman at the mine. Police arrested both the lecturer and the overman (a supervisory official in mining operations) in connection with the case.The student, a native of Sultanabad mandal, was allegedly forced to consume pesticide by her former lecturer on Sept 12. Police alleged he later made her write a suicide note and attempted to portray the incident as a case of suicide. She died while undergoing treatment at a govt hospital in Godavarikhani on Sept 13.Peddapalli DCP B Ram Reddy said the lecturer was arrested in Godavarikhani on Sept 21 based on CCTV footage, call records and other technical evidence collected during the investigation.According to police, the student completed her diploma at a polytechnic in Mancherial district in 2022. The accused was then working as a contract lecturer at the institution, and their acquaintance gradually developed into a close relationship, police said.The lecturer, who was living separately from his wife following marital differences, allegedly assured the student that he would marry her. She later joined Osmania University to pursue her engineering degree in mining. After her family shifted to Godavarikhani, she joined a coal mine there in Jan for a 12-day internship.Police said the overman at the mine introduced himself to the woman as a former student of the polytechnic and a student of the lecturer. He allegedly began harassing her, police said.The woman lodged a complaint with the coal mine management against him. A committee was constituted to inquire into the allegations and, according to police, concluded that the overman was not at fault. Police said the sexual assault took place later.Investigators said the lecturer learnt about the alleged closeness between the girl and the mining official and allegedly decided to eliminate her.On Sept 12, he picked up the girl in his car and drove around with her before allegedly forcing her to consume pesticide. As the woman lost consciousness, he allegedly used her mobile phone to call her father and inform him about her condition. He then shifted her to the govt hospital and fled. She succumbed while undergoing treatment the next day.The overman was also taken into custody in connection with the sexual assault case and remanded in judicial custody.
