Assistant Professor Suspended, Probe Ordered Into Alleged Suicide of Doda College Student

Assistant Professor Suspended, Probe Ordered Into Alleged Suicide of Doda College Student

Doda, January 20: The Jammu and Kashmir government has suspended an Assistant Professor of Government Degree College (GDC), Doda, and ordered a formal inquiry into the alleged suicide of a college student, an official order issued on Monday said.

Prof. Manzoor Ahmad, an Assistant Professor of Commerce at GDC Doda, has been placed under suspension with immediate effect while the matter is under investigation. During this period, he has been attached to the office of the Director Colleges, Jammu and Kashmir, until further directions are issued by the authorities.

The decision comes in the wake of the reported suicide of Saba Banoo, a first-semester student of the college, who allegedly took her life on January 16, 2026. The incident sent shockwaves through the district, triggering widespread concern among students, parents, and civil society, and leading to demands for a thorough and impartial probe.

To examine the circumstances surrounding the student’s death, the Higher Education Department has constituted a three-member inquiry committee. The panel includes Director Colleges Dr. Sheikh Ajaz Bashir, Deputy Secretary Sanjay Kumar Tickoo (JKAS), and Under Secretary Syed Ishrat Parvez.

The committee has been tasked with conducting a detailed investigation into the incident and has been directed to submit its findings within seven days.

Both the suspension order and the inquiry notification were issued by Commissioner/Secretary to the Government, Higher Education Department, Ram Niwas Sharma, IAS.

Officials said the move underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring accountability and transparency, while also determining whether any institutional lapses or individual actions contributed to the tragic incident.

Meanwhile, the death has cast a pall of grief over Doda, with students and local residents urging the administration to take firm steps to prevent such incidents in educational institutions and to strengthen student support mechanisms.