Air hostess dies after fall from third floor, two detained
Khongsit Clara, a flight attendant in her mid-twenties, died under mysterious circumstances on late Tuesday night after she fell from the third floor of a building at Keshtopur in the northern fringes of Kolkata. Clara went to the building to attend the birthday party of her friend. Clara worked for a private budget airline.
Bidhannagar City Police have detained Clara’s friend and the latter’s boyfriend for questioning.
“We came to know that Clara came to her friend’s residence at Keshtopur to attend the birthday party on Tuesday. Her friend’s boyfriend was also there. Clara’s friend lives on the third floor of the building where the party was organised,” said an officer of Bidhannagar Police.
It is learnt that statements given by Clara’s friend and her boyfriend were similar. Both said that after midnight they heard a sound following which they found out that Clara had fallen through a window. Incidentally, this was the only window in the house that did not have grilles.
“The question is, how did she fall from the third floor. Did anyone push her ? We are also trying to find out if she had any reason to commit suicide,” said an investigating officer.
A resident of Shillong, Clara, attended St. John’s High School, Hathras and Lady Keane College, Shillong. She was working as a flight attendant (inflight services) with the private airline.
The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has directed engineering and technical institutes to act swiftly on complaints filed by students, failing which they may be barred from operating.
The performance of the institutes regarding grievance redressal mechanism will also be taken into account at the time of renewal of institutes every year.
In February this year, the AICTE had written to all the institutes asking them to establish a mechanism for online registration of complaints and swift disposal of grievances of students, faculty and stakeholders among others.
It also directed the institutes to mention names, contact numbers and e-mails of the members of the grievance committee on the college notice board to assure students help is at hand.
“As per the order, an online monthly status report regarding the number of grievances received, complaints disposed and pending as on the last day of the each month should be submitted to the AICTE,” minister of state (Human Resource Development) Mahendra Nath Pandey informed the Lok Sabha recently.
From next academic year, the mechanism for an online registration as well as disposal of grievances will be made mandatory. The human resource development (HRD) ministry-controlled AICTE regulates more than 10,000 technical colleges, including engineering and business schools.
The AICTE while granting approvals and accreditation will take into account the performance of an institute in dealing with complaints and its effectiveness in solving grievances.
“Grievance redressal will get linked to approval for an institute from next year,” said a senior official.