Bhubaneswar: A girl student of Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya committed suicide by hanging herself in her hostel room on Monday.
The deceased, identified as Utkalika Swain, was a +2 second-year student and a resident of Kendrapara. Swain allegedly used her stole to hang herself from the ceiling fan in her room, number 21, while her two roommates were away on holiday.
Her friends suspected foul play when they found her room locked for several hours in the morning. “When we went to college, her room was locked from the inside. We called her on the phone, but she didn’t receive the call. Then we knocked on the door, but she still didn’t respond. We immediately informed the hostel matron, who rushed to the room, pushed the door open, and found her hanging from the ceiling,” a friend of the deceased said.
The reason behind Swain’s drastic step remains unclear. Police have seized the body for post-mortem and launched an investigation. Police have informed her family members about the tragic incident.
According to the college principal, Swain was a good student and a student of the Odissi dance wing. “Although she was ailing and unable to dance most of the time, I didn’t notice any signs of mental depression. She seemed well when she last attended an Odissi dance programme on Saturday.”
The Capital Police Station IIC stated, “We received information about the incident in the morning and immediately sent a team to the spot. We have also called in a scientific team to assist with the investigation. We found her mobile phone on her bed and will track her call records to help investigate the matter. We have informed her local guardian, who has arrived at the campus. The reason behind her death is still unknown and can only be ascertained after a thorough investigation. We are also questioning her hostel mates and staff.”
