The body of a 28-year-old final-year MBBS student was recovered from the sand bed of the Kathajodi river in Cuttack on Thursday, with police suspecting it to be a death by suicide. The deceased, identified as Chandrika Hembram, was a native of Udala in Mayurbhanj district and a student of Fakir Mohan Medical College and Hospital in Balasore.
Preliminary Investigation Details
According to Biswaranjan Nayak, Inspector in Charge (IIC) of the local Barang police station, preliminary investigation suggests that the woman had informed her parents she was going to a relative's house in Bhubaneswar. However, she allegedly came to the Trisulia Bridge in Cuttack on Wednesday night and jumped into the river. Due to the low water level in the Kathajodi, the body became stuck on a sand bed near the spot.
Local residents noticed her sandals and later spotted the body in the morning. They informed the police, following which a recovery operation was carried out by personnel from the Barang police station and the fire services department. The body was sent to SCB Medical College and Hospital for postmortem examination.
Police Investigation Underway
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo stated that the woman was identified through documents recovered from her belongings. While preliminary evidence points towards suicide, he emphasized that police are investigating all possible angles and will not rule out any possibility. The family members of the deceased have been informed, and further investigation is underway.
This tragic incident has sent shockwaves through the local community and the medical college. Authorities are awaiting the postmortem report to determine the exact cause of death and are examining the circumstances that may have led to the student's alleged suicide.
