THE GOAN NETWORK
MAPUSA
Police probing the mysterious death of a 23-year-old medical intern from Goa Medical College (GMC), whose body was found on a beach at Dona Paula earlier this month, have received a fresh lead after a preliminary toxicology examination reportedly detected a high level of cannabis in her blood.
According to sources, the rapid bedside toxicology report has indicated a positive presence of cannabis in the intern's blood sample. Sources further claimed that the concentration detected was significantly high, prompting police to examine whether substance use may have played a role in the circumstances leading to her death.
The intern, a native of Kerala pursuing her medical internship at GMC, was found dead on Hawaii Beach at Dona Paula on the evening of June 10. The case had sparked widespread attention due to the unusual circumstances in which the body was discovered.
One of the aspects that raised questions among police was that the young woman was reportedly found wearing her laboratory uniform when her body was recovered from the secluded beach stretch.
The circumstances under which she reached the location and the events leading up to her death continue to remain unclear.
Police sources said that while the preliminary toxicology findings have provided an important clue, the exact cause of death has not yet been established.
The final medical opinion has been kept pending as viscera samples have already been forwarded to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) at Verna for detailed chemical analysis. The final forensic report is awaited.
Medical experts said that cannabis consumption can impair judgement, coordination and perception, while very high levels may trigger severe physiological and psychological reactions.
However, experts cautioned that the mere presence of cannabis in the blood does not by itself establish the cause of death, which can only be determined after a comprehensive forensic examination.
"The final forensic report will be crucial in establishing whether the substance had any direct or indirect role in the death," a senior medical source said.
The toxicology findings have added a new dimension to the investigation, with authorities expected to examine the source of the substance and the intern's movements prior to her death.
The case has also reignited concerns over the availability and use of narcotic substances among students and young adults in the State.
While previous instances of alleged drug use had surfaced in educational institutions, the emergence of such findings in connection with a medical student has raised fresh questions about the reach of narcotics in academic campuses.
