Kochi, 16 Aug: An Arunachal Pradesh native studying at an engineering college in Kothamangalam near here was found dead in the room of a rented house, police said on Sunday.

Higher Education Minister Roji M John told reporters that a detailed probe would be conducted into the incident.

The deceased was identified as Michi Marpu (20), of Naharlagun in the Papum Pare district of Arunachal Pradesh, and a B Tech student at MA College of Engineering, Kothamangalam.

Though he was rushed to the Kothamangalam Taluk Hospital, doctors declared him dead, police said.

A three-page suicide note was recovered from his room, police said. However, its contents were not immediately known.

A detailed probe is required to ascertain the circumstances leading to his death, police said.

Students at the college staged a protest, alleging that the minimum credit requirement at the college is higher than that at other engineering colleges in the state.

SFI and KSU leaders at the college told reporters that as the institution follows an autonomous scheme, it has set the minimum credit requirement at 22 credits, compared to 18 at colleges affiliated with Kerala Technological University.

They said that even after the year-back system was suspended by KTU, it was still being implemented at MA College of Engineering.

Muvattupuzha Deputy SP K R Manoj said that following the protest, student representatives held discussions with the college management.

Student representatives told reporters that the management agreed to consider their demands, including suspending the year-back system, conducting supplementary examinations and reducing supplementary examination fees.

College Principal Bos Mathew Jose told reporters that the demands would be considered and further steps would be taken.

Police said the post-mortem examination would be conducted on Monday after the parents arrived on Sunday evening.

Kothamangalam police have registered a case of unnatural death and are conducting an investigation.

Minister John said the student's death was an unfortunate incident and assured that a proper investigation would be conducted.