The reported harassment of a medical student by his teachers has sparked off a heated debate in Kerala. The student, the son of a former state legislator, committed suicide, apparently after teachers intentionally failed him in the final examination. Following extensive press coverage, the state government referred the matter to the Petitions Committee of the Kerala Legislative Assembly. The Committee, which is chaired by a senior legislator and has eight other legislators as members, concluded that the student's suicide was a result of intentional harassment by teachers. It named the responsible teachers and recommended punitive action against them.