Bhubaneswar: A Class XI student was found dead on the premises of a residential apartment complex in Bhubaneswar’s Chandrasekharpur area on Monday, with police suspecting that the teenager may have accidentally fallen from a service duct while trying to hide after visiting a female classmate.
The deceased, identified as Rofan Qureshi, was a student of a private school in the city. According to police, he had gone to Jalvayu Apartment to meet his female classmate when she was alone at home.
According to Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena, the girl’s mother returned home in the afternoon, triggering panic. Rofan allegedly hid in the bathroom and is suspected to have later entered the service duct adjacent to it in an attempt to avoid being noticed.
During the investigation, police recovered the boy’s bag hanging near the service duct on the ninth floor, strengthening the suspicion that he may have accidentally slipped and fallen from the area.
“It appears to be an unfortunate incident involving adolescents, where panic may have led to the accidental fall. However, all aspects of the case are being examined,” Meena said. A scientific team also reached the apartment complex and collected evidence.
The DCP said the exact age of the deceased is yet to be officially confirmed, though preliminary information suggests that he was a minor. An unnatural death (UD) case has been registered, and medico-legal procedures are underway.
The body has been sent for post-mortem examination, and police are continuing their investigation to ascertain the exact sequence of events leading to the teenager’s death.
