Dhenkanal: A 19-year-old meritorious student Pipasa Sampoi on Sunday committed suicide by hanging herself as she could not get admission into Plus Three course due to want of money.

The police have registered a case of unnatural death and are investigating the matter.

Local people said Pipasa had lost her father when she was seven. After two years, her mother abandoned her and went away. She was brought up by her aunt, wife of her father's elder brother, at the village. However, her aunt, too, has limited landed properties and had been supporting her to pursue her studies. Pipasa was a good student and had been studying well. She had topped in the Dhenkanal Junior College in 2016 in Plus Two examinations. Then she did a course in ITI and was interested in pursuing Plus Three through the Indira Gandhi Open University. She had got the intimation letter and was to take admission on Sunday.

Pipasa had no money to meet admission expenses and her aunt had gone to Cuttack to arrange money for her on Sunday. Pipasa, however, was distressed and had given up hope for further study. She hanged herself in their house. When her neighbours failed to open the door, they informed the police who found her dead.

"We reached the house as soon as we got the information. We found the girl hanging from the ceiling fan. According to the preliminary investigation, she ended her life as she could not arrange money for her higher study. She was to take admission into Plus Three," said Gobindpur police outpost sub-inspector Basanta Lenka.

"However, we also have another angle of investigation as she was reportedly in love with someone, who cheated her. We are also investigating that aspect," he said.