Mishap Or Foul Play? Mystery Shrouds Death Of ITI Student In Odisha

Berhampur: How exactly did Saswat Das, a second year student at the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) here, die?

The mystery has deepened with campus insiders claiming it to be an accident, but Saswat’s family alleging foul play.

According to ITI sources, Saswat hailed from Rajkanika in Kendrapara district and pursuing Electronics and Telecommunication.

They said Saswat was supervising food delivery work at the college hostel. He had fallen down from a food delivery van on Tuesday and lost sense, they added.

He was rushed to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur, but was declared dead, the sources said.

However, the family have accused the hostel authorities of hiding the truth.

Saswat’s brother Nihar Ranjan Das told the media, “We reached Berhampur on Wednesday after receiving the news of my brother’s death. At the hospital, there were two college staffers. One was a superintendent and the other was an attendant. When I asked them the exact events leading to the death, they gave different answers. One said the incident had occurred outside the hostel and the other said he fell down on the campus.”

On his part, ITI Principal Dr Rajat Panigrahi claimed that MKCG doctors said Saswat died after suffering a cardiac arrest. However, the exact cause of death will be ascertained after the autopsy, he added.

Panigrahi said the college has formed a committee to probe into the student’s death. The panel comprises three senior lecturers and they will submit a report soon.