Late on Wednesday night, the body of a 20-year-old third-year MBBS student at Bhima Bhoi Medical College & Hospital in Balangir was discovered hanging from the window of her girls’ hostel room.
The doctor and her friends were allegedly watching the IPL game on their phones hours before the incident, before heading out for supper about 9 p.m.
They retired to their individual rooms afterwards.
According to the college dean, Prof. Dr. Sabita Mohapatra, a person living next to medico’s room received a phone call late at night about 11.30 PM from an unknown person asking her to inquire about medico’s status. When the medico’s friend received the call, she proceeded to her room, which was locked. When she still did not answer the door after numerous knocks, other hostel inmates arrived and managed to unlock it. Her corpse was discovered dangling from a scarf. The kids removed the rope around her neck right away and alerted the dormitory management. They attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) after that, but she had already died.
The dean said that she had received information about the tragic incident around 11.45 PM, following which she immediately rushed to the hostel. Giving further details about the incident, the dean told Odisha TV, “The way she was found hanging is called partial hanging and one can commit suicide like that. She tied one end of the scarf from the window and strangulated her from the other end of the cloth. We also found a chemical from the spot. However, the exact thing will be established in the post-mortem reports. She has herself tried to hang herself. Someone had called medico’s friend minutes before her death. She must have fought with someone over the phone following which she took the drastic step.
The authorities informed her family and the Balangir police, who arrived at the crime spot and recovered her body. She was rushed to the Bhima Bhoi Hospital where the doctors declared her dead. The body has been sent for autopsy. Meanwhile, her family members suspect her death to be a case of murder. Her elder sister alleged that they were chatting till 11.40 PM the night the incident took place. Claiming negligence from the side of the college authorities, her sister said, “I received a phone call from someone from the hostel at 12.12 am. They told me that she is no more and asked me to immediately reach the hostel. When we reached the hostel, we saw her body hanging from the window of her room with a scarf. Why the police and family members were called first and then she was taken to the hospital. The negligence of the college authorities claimed the life of my sister. She must have been taken to the hospital immediately.”
Stating that he would lodge a murder complaint in the local police station, he added, “The warden of the hostel informed us at 12.10 am last night and asked to immediately reach the hostel. She did not look like she has committed suicide. I suspect that she has been murdered”, as per the report of Kalinga TV.Meanwhile, an investigation has been launched by the local police into the incident.
