The Kerala High Court on Friday directed the police to provide protection to Amal Jyothi college at Kanjirappally near Kottayam in central Kerala, where students have been agitating following the suicide of a second year BTech student allegedly due to harassment by the management.

Justice N Nagaresh, allowed one-month interim protection after the institution sought security to complete the admission process there.

The court directed police to provide protection for the "smooth functioning" of the college in order to conduct the admission process.

During the hearing, college authorities claimed that the strike was still going on and alleged that it was hindering its functioning.

Meanwhile, the government said at least 100 police personnel had been deployed at the college and four criminal cases were registered. It also informed the court that a meeting was chaired by the minister and as per the agreement reached, the college will reopen on June 12.

Shraddha Satheesh, a second-year food technology student, was found hanging inside her hostel room on June 2.

Students alleged that some teachers had been harassing them (students) in the name of internal tests. But, the college management claimed they didn't know why the student took her own life.

After the students protested over the incident and the atmosphere on campus became tense, the Kerala government on Wednesday intervened in the matter and ordered a Crime Branch probe into the Shraddha's death.

The decision for a Crime Branch probe was taken after Higher Education Minister R Bindu and Minister for Cooperation and Registration V N Vasavan met with representatives of the college students, the management of the institution and the Parent-Teacher Association.

-With PTI Input