BHUBANESWAR: A plus II second-year student from the Odissi Dance department of Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya was found dead in her hostel room here on Monday morning. The deceased, a 17-year-old, who hailed from the Pattamundai area of Kendrapada district, was discovered hanging from a ceiling fan.
The incident came to light when fellow hostel inmates, concerned about receiving no response to their knocks, forced open the door of her room around 8.30 am. The hostel superintendent was immediately notified, who then alerted the local police.
Officers from the Capital Police station arrived at the scene and recovered the body, which was sent to Capital Hospital for a post-mortem examination. Police registered a case of unnatural death and launched an investigation.
“We have seized a mobile phone from the hostel. The actual reason for the death is yet to be ascertained,” said a police officer involved in the investigation. While preliminary findings suggest suicide, authorities are exploring all possible angles.
Family members, who rushed to the hostel upon receiving the news, expressed disbelief at the possibility of suicide. According to them, the deceased was an active performer who participated in various dance events.
The untimely death of the young dancer has cast a pall of gloom over the institution, with students and faculty struggling to come to terms with the loss. Police investigations are ongoing, and further details are awaited.