Police rule out foul play, record statements of students, warden and family; mental health concerns resurface
VASCO
The final message left behind by a 20-year-old BITS Pilani-Goa student who was found dead in her hostel room has added a deeply emotional layer to yet another tragedy at the premier institution, even as police have ruled out any foul play in the case.
According to sources, the handwritten note recovered from the hostel room contains a brief but heartfelt message addressed to her parents, expressing gratitude, love and apology.
In what are believed to be her last written words, the student is said to have written that she felt “very lucky” to have parents who gave her immense love and support and did everything possible for her, before adding that she was “tired now” and “I love you. Sorry Sorry Sorry.” repeatedly apologising, while stating that she loved them.
Sources familiar with the inquiry said the student had been undergoing depression.
It is believed that the family may have hoped that returning to campus life and being among friends would help her mental state improve.
Some sources also claimed that she had faced mental health struggles in the past, though she had recently conveyed to people close to her that the intrusive thoughts had subsided and that she felt she was returning to normalcy.
Meanwhile, Verna police on Tuesday visited the campus and continued their inquiry into the circumstances leading to the death.
Statements of fellow students and the hostel warden were recorded as part of the investigation. Police have stated that no external or suspicious element has been found so far.
The student, Vaishnavi, a third-year Electronics and Communication Engineering student, was found dead in her hostel room on Sunday night. A suicide note was recovered from the room during preliminary checks.
Her parents arrived in Goa on Monday, following which Verna police conducted the scene panchanama. Statements of the parents and close friends were recorded. The post-mortem examination was conducted and the body was handed over to the family the same day for final rites.
The incident marks the sixth student death reported at the BITS Pilani-Goa campus in the last 13 months and has once again brought the spotlight on student mental health and emotional wellbeing, even as authorities continue to rely on ongoing inquiries and source-based findings in the case.
