Bhubaneswar: A Class IX student allegedly died by suicide after being denied a mobile phone in Balia village under Sahadevkhunta police station in Balasore district, on Thursday.
The deceased was identified as the son of Tapan Giri.
According to the deceased boy’s brother, the incident occurred while the family was at the market.
“He was studying and had asked for a mobile phone, but we refused. Possibly upset by the denial, he hanged himself from a ceiling fan. When we returned, we found him, tried to save him, and called an ambulance. Due to expected delays, we rushed him to a hospital, but doctors declared him dead on arrival,” he said.
On being informed, Sahadevkhunta police arrived at the scene, seized the body, and sent it for a post-mortem examination. The police are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.