One athlete has died, 3 more are critical after consuming poisonous fruit at the SAI camp in Kerala
As three young athletes recover after consuming poisoned fruit in an alleged suicide pact at a government-run sports training institute in Kerala - a fourth girl died on Wednesday - their seniors have denied allegations that they harassed the girls.
"They are saying that we harassed them. Nobody ragged or harassed them. Why are we being dragged into this?" said 23-year-old Diti Varghese, a hosteler at the Sports Authority of India (SAI)'s Water Sports Institute, where the girls, all champion rowers, had been training.
Next to her, another athlete broke down, saying, "This hurts us. We have families too."
On Wednesday, the four girls signed a note blaming their seniors before eating a toxic fruit from Cerbere Odollam, locally known as the "suicide tree," found in the backwaters of Alapuzha. Their families have alleged that they were "humiliated and tortured" and were forced to wash their seniors' clothes.
About 20 athletes and a few parents huddled inside a room in the hostel this morning as the police inquired into the incident.
The hostel warden, Sreekala S, said, "I have not got any complaint of ragging or harassment till now."
The police are investigating allegations of the staff that the girls felt humiliated after being admonished for bringing alcohol to the hostel. "We were having a party to celebrate our national games medal and these girls were drinking in their room,"said Diti.
"They fell at my feet and begged me not to tell anyone as they would be shamed. But by morning everyone got to know, they were scared," the warden told NDTV.
The girls' parents have disputed these accounts.
The mother of the 15-year-old girl who died said she had complained about "constant harassment." Hours before her death, the teen had reportedly said, "Mother please forgive me. I did this due to harassment of senior 'chechis' (older sisters). Will I not live?"
Another girl's mother said, "My daughter called on Wednesday morning, cried and said seniors were troubling her."