A young woman, preparing for her medical entrance, was found hanging under "questionable" circumstances in her room at a private hostel in Ranchi late on Thursday night, prompting her family to lodge a murder complaint on Friday morning against her coaching institute that mans the accommodation for its students.

Lalpur thana OC Ramod Kumar Singh said Ichita Singh (20), daughter of civil contractor Sanjay Singh of Daltonganj, Palamau, had enrolled with Goal Institute in New Nagaratoli three months ago. She lived with three roommates at Fighter Girls Hostel, behind the coaching school.

"On Thursday, she skipped the 7pm-9pm library visit and told her friends that she would rather study in the room alone. When the girls returned around 9.30pm, they found the room locked inside. They knocked, but got no response. The hostel warden was called and she spotted Ichita through a window, hanging from the ceiling fan with a towel," the officer pieced together statements of witnesses.

Ichita was rushed to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in Bariatu, where doctors declared her brought dead. "This (Friday) morning, her father registered a murder case, holding the coaching institute management responsible for her death," OC Singh added.

A source in police explained why the circumstances under which the medical school aspirant was found were mysterious. "Ichita's mother lives in Dhurwa. She had returned to hostel happy after three days of leave. No suicide note has been found in the room. Besides, hostel officials Prince Kumar and Kamrendra Kumar, who took the girl to hospital, did not inform Lalpur police about her death. They even gave wrong telephone numbers to RIMS officials," said the source.

Prince Kumar, who identified himself as the assistant director of Goal Institute, pleaded innocence. "We took the girl to hospital after we found her hanging. We did not given anyone wrong numbers and informed Bariatu police station because she was declared dead at RIMS around 11pm. We also informed her father. It is a case of suicide. Call details of the girl can explain a lot," he said.

Bereaved family members could not be contacted for their comments.

A few girls at the hostel claimed Ichita was in a relationship with a boy in Daltonganj and had been stressed, but they couldn't say for sure if an unhappy love life was the trigger behind a possible death wish.

"She was below average (in studies) and had a long-distance relationship. She was always under pressure it seemed. But, it is difficult to say if she committed suicide. We are shocked. Our classes remained suspended today (Friday)," said a hostel inmate, requesting anonymity.

Goal Institute is 16 years old and currently has 180 students on its rolls.

How can security at private hostels be improved? Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com