Coimbatore: A youth was arrested on Friday on charges of abetting the suicide of a female college student.The Peelamedu police identified the arrested person as S Praveen, 23, a native of Erode. A food delivery boy, he was residing in Coimbatore city. A police officer said the youth was held in connection with the suicide of R Harini, 20, of Namakkal, who was studying in a private college near Peelamedu. “A third-year graduate student, she was staying in a private hostel near Hope College. Praveen once delivered food to her at the hostel and befriended her through repeated phone calls. After winning her trust, he successfully sought her gold chain weighing 1.5 sovereigns on the pretext of pledging it to meet an emergency.” While Praveen had promised to return the gold chain in two months, he didn’t keep his word, the officer said. “Harini tried to reach him over phone several times, but in vain. Fearing the repercussions from her family, she hanged herself to death in her hostel room on Feb 11.” Police registered a case and came across the communications between the duo while they examined her mobile phone. Further investigation revealed that Praveen had cheated several other women in a similar fashion. “He used the money to buy alcohol. We have arrested him and lodged him in the Coimbatore Central Prison under judicial custody.”
