An 18-year-old girl committed suicide by consuming cow dung powder in her house at Kamaraj Nagar near Sulur on Thursday.

According to police, Kiruba, daughter of Selvaraj and Bhuvaneswari, was looking disturbed in the evening after returning from her college. When she started vomitting suddenly, her parents rushed her to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital, where it was found that she had consumed cow dung powder. In spite of best efforts by the doctors, Kiruba died.

Following a complaint from her family members, Sulur police registered a case under Section 174 of CrPC. The reason behind her extreme decision is unknown.

On learning about the incident, activists urged the authorities to ban the sale of cow dung powder in the district. There has been considerable increase in the number of suicide cases (using cow dung powder).

Speaking to Covai Post, activist A. Manoj said despite the State wide ban on cow dung powder, it was being sold in residential areas illegally in broad day light.

“The administration should ensure that the sale of the cow dung powder is banned so that people’s lives are saved,” he said and urged the police to take stern action against those selling the powder.