A 19-year-old degree student was allegedly smothered to death by her male college mate in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday, leading to protests and tension in Narsaraopet town. Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed anguish over the incident and directed the police authorities to investigate the case swiftly.

He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the victim’s family, a release from the Chief Minister’s Office said. Both the girl and boy were students of a private degree college in Narsaraopet.

Police said the boy called her for a chat and took her to a nearby village on his bike. He then smothered her, police said.

Subsequently, he gave himself up to the police. students of the college and the girl’s relatives staged a protest in Narsaraopet, demanding that justice be done to her family.

Opposition parties too joined the protest in solidarity with the students. Later in the night, the Chief Minister enquired about the case and announced the ex-gratia relief.