Mysuru: Depressed over being issued notice for not following the service rules, an Assistant Professor of a private Engineering College in city consumed sedatives (sleeping tablets) at the college in city and took ill on Friday.

The Assistant Professor is S. Sowmya Sudhana, who works in the Computer Department at Academy for Technical and Management Excellence (ATME) College of Engineering on Bannur Road in city. 

Sowmya had allegedly violated the Service Rules of the College and had involved herself with another company following which the College Chairman had instructed Principal Prof. L. Basavaraju to issue a notice to Sowmya.

Based on the instruction from the Chairman, Prof. L. Basavaraju had issued a notice to Sowmya on Jan. 6 instructing her to give an explanation within three days.

Depressed over being issued a notice, Sowmya, on Jan. 17 afternoon consumed sedatives in her Department and took ill.

She was rushed to a private hospital nearby by the college staff, where Sowmya told the doctors that she had consumed sedatives following which she was admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and was shifted to the ward yesterday after treatment.

As soon as the incident took place, College Principal Prof. L. Basavaraju has given his written statement to Varuna Police where he has stated that Sowmya was issued a notice for violating the service rules of the college.

He has further stated that on Jan. 17 at about 3.45 pm, Sowmya had come to his (Prof. Basavaraju) chamber and told him that she was being targeted and was being harassed from everyone to which Prof. Basavaraju had replied that it was not the time for personal issues and told Sowmya to give an explanation to the notice so that he could submit it to the college Administrative Board. 

Prof. Basavaraju further said that Sowmya, who left his chamber, went to her Department, where she took ill and she was immediately rushed to a hospital.

When Varuna Police went to the hospital to obtain Sowmya’s statements, she (Sowmya) has refused to give her statements to the Police and hence, no case has been registered so far, according to the Police.