Student Found Dead in Bengaluru Hostel, Police Rule Out Foul Play

A medical report is expected to throw more light into the cause of death, police said.

(Photo: iStock)

Two days after 17-year-old pre-university student Sarthak Puranik was found dead in the toilet of his college hostel in Bengaluru’s Bellandur, police have ruled out foul play. Puranik was found dead in a toilet in his hostel after he did not return to his room for a long time, on 7 September.

The investigation so far has not provided any evidence of the death being a murder or a suicide. A medical report is expected to throw more light into the cause of death, police said.

A senior police officer said there were eyewitnesses who saw Sarthak walk inside bathroom.

Several students have seen Sarthak enter the bathroom at 6:20 am and when he didn’t come out after a long time, they broke the door and found him lying on the floor. He was rushed to a hospital, but he was declared dead on arrival.

Abdul Ahad, deputy commissioner of police, Whitefield

Police, who found no external injuries on the student’s body, suspect Sarthak died of some medical condition.

We have asked the medical experts for a report. We don’t know the cause of death yet and we believe that the medical report will throw some light into the matter.

Abdul Ahad

Even though police have ruled out foul play, Sarthak’s parents have claimed he was stressed because one of the teachers insulted him in front of the class.

“When we took the statement of the parents, they claimed that one of the teachers had thrown a book at him and he was stressed about it. We are probing this allegation. However, parents have not complained of any foul play in the case,” the officer added.