Two teenage athletes staying at a Sports Authority of India (SAI) hostel in Kollam were found dead early Thursday.
The deceased were identified as Sandra (18), an athletics trainee from Chaliyam Kozhikode district, and Vyshnavi (15), a kabaddi player from Muthakkal Thiruvananthapuram district. Sandra was a Plus Two student, while Vyshnavi was studying in Class 10.
The incident came to light around 5 am, when fellow hostel inmates noticed that the two girls had not reported for the morning training session.
When repeated knocks on the door went unanswered, hostel authorities broke open the door and found both girls hanging from ceiling fans in the room, police said.
Police said Vyshnavi was officially allotted a different room in the hostel but had spent Wednesday night in Sandra’s room. Both were seen by other hostel inmates before 12.30 am, police added.
An FIR was registered based on the complaint of SAI centre in charge, police said.
Vaishavi was found hanging from a ceiling fan near the door of the room no 21 at top floor using a bedsheet, the FIR said.
It also stated that Sandra was found hanging from another ceiling fan in the same room, also using a bedsheet.
A case has been registered at the Kollam East police station under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for unnatural death.
"The reason for committing such an act is yet to be ascertained. We are conducting a probe into the incident," Kollam City Police Commissioner Kiran Narayanan told PTI.
Police officials said post-mortem examinations are underway and the bodies will be handed over to the relatives soon. Both had been staying at the SAI hostel for the past two years, they said.
Sports Authority of India authorities said that a case has been registered. "SAI is cooperating in the investigation. Investigation is under way," police said. Police said that no suicide note had been recovered from the room.
Police will record statements from other sportspersons in the hostel, their trainers, and relatives, an official said. Also, mobile phones would be examined as part of the investigation.
