A distressing incident at a college in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district has raised urgent questions about institutional responsibility, student safety, and the handling of financial difficulties faced by learners. A BA second-year student at DAV PG Degree College in Budhana set himself on fire on Saturday after reportedly facing repeated humiliation, physical mistreatment, and denial of exam access. The case has triggered widespread anger, protests on campus, and a police investigation into the role of the college principal and local police personnel accused in the student’s statement.

According to officials and witness accounts, the student, believed to be in his early 20s and a resident of a nearby village, had been struggling to pay outstanding college fees. He owed ₹7,000 and had managed to submit only ₹1,700. In a handwritten note later recovered by the police and in a video recorded two days before the incident, he alleged that the principal, Pradeep Kumar, subjected him to continuous harassment over the unpaid amount. The student claims he was insulted publicly, beaten, and regularly taunted, despite his assurances that the remaining fee would be paid as soon as possible.

Events escalated on Saturday morning when the student was allegedly denied permission to sit for his upcoming exams due to the unpaid fees. This refusal reportedly pushed him into a state of despair. Shortly before noon, he walked into one of the classrooms on campus, poured fuel on himself, and set himself ablaze. Videos recorded by students and circulating widely on social media showed him engulfed in flames as bystanders screamed for help. Several students rushed in with water and blankets in an attempt to save him.

The incident caused widespread panic on the campus. He was first taken to a nearby community health centre, where doctors administered initial treatment for severe burn injuries. Given the extent of the burns—estimated to be over 70 percent—he was quickly referred to a hospital in Meerut. Hours later, as his condition worsened, he was shifted again to a Delhi hospital equipped with advanced burn-care facilities. Doctors have described his condition as critical.

The handwritten note found by authorities provides a detailed account of what the student claims to have endured. He accuses principal Pradeep Kumar of “physical assault and public humiliation,” including pulling his hair, beating him, and verbally abusing him “in front of everyone.” The note states that the college administration refused to accept his exam form as punishment for not paying the full semester fee on time. He wrote that he felt cornered, isolated, and humiliated to a point where he could see no way out.

He further alleges that after one confrontation on campus, the college administration summoned local police personnel. Three police officers, he claimed, “abused and pushed” him out of the campus instead of listening to his grievances or mediating the situation. The presence of the police, according to his account, made the humiliation even more public and more painful. In both his video message and written note, he stated explicitly that if he died by suicide, responsibility would lie with the college principal and the three police personnel.

The student’s sister subsequently filed a formal complaint with Budhana police, prompting swift legal action. Based on her complaint and the evidence recovered so far, a case has been registered against principal Pradeep Kumar under sections 352 (assault) and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (threat causing serious harm). The registration of the FIR sparked outrage among students and local residents, who assembled outside the college in protest, demanding immediate arrest of the principal, suspension of involved police personnel, and a more comprehensive inquiry into the practices of the college administration.

Late on Saturday evening, district magistrate Umesh Mishra and senior superintendent of police Sanjai Kumar Verma visited the college campus to assess the situation directly. They met with protesting students, faculty members, and local community representatives. The officials assured the crowd that a thorough and impartial investigation would be conducted and that no one found responsible would be spared. They also directed the administration to submit CCTV footage, staff statements, and all relevant documents relating to fee procedures and disciplinary actions taken against students.

Muzaffarnagar SP Sanjai Kumar confirmed that the role of the three police personnel named by the student is being examined as part of the ongoing inquiry. He stated that investigators are reviewing whether the officers’ actions that day were appropriate, whether they handled the situation with due sensitivity, and whether their conduct contributed to the student’s distress.

The incident has reignited a long-standing debate about how educational institutions handle matters of fee default, discipline, and student welfare. Many local residents and student groups have criticised the college’s alleged policy of publicly shaming students for unpaid fees. Critics argue that such practices disproportionately affect students from low-income families and can push them into severe emotional crisis. Several activists have called for reforms, including more flexible fee-payment structures, confidential counselling mechanisms, and transparent grievance-redressal systems.

The state government has not yet announced any policy-level response, but the emotional and social repercussions of the incident have spread through the district. Numerous local organisations have issued statements condemning the college administration’s alleged conduct. Lawyers representing the student’s family have demanded that the case be expanded to include charges of abetment to suicide under relevant sections of the BNS, depending on the medical outcome of the case.

Mental-health professionals in the region have emphasised that educational institutions must be trained to recognise signs of distress and provide early intervention. Several psychologists have noted that humiliation, isolation, and academic pressure are among the most common triggers for self-harm in young adults. They argue that students in economically vulnerable families are especially at risk when colleges adopt punitive or public disciplinary approaches regarding fee delays.

The student remains in critical condition, and police have deployed additional personnel around the hospital in Delhi to manage the large number of people visiting or seeking updates. His family has appealed for privacy and has urged authorities to ensure that investigations are carried out with honesty and urgency.

The incident serves as a stark reminder of the heavy toll that humiliation, institutional pressure, and the stigma of financial incapacity can exert on young learners. While the legal proceedings continue, the larger questions it raises about student welfare, administrative accountability, and the power dynamics within academic spaces are expected to stay in public debate for some time.

Suicide is preventable. In India, major prevention helplines include Sumaitri in Delhi at 011-23389090 and the Sneha Foundation in Chennai at 044-24640050.