Sheohar: Akanksha Kumari, a final-year Electrical Engineering student at Engineering College, Sheohar, was found dead in her hostel room on the night of March 22. Her body was discovered hanging from the ceiling fan, with earphones still in her ears.
Preliminary reports suggest that she was speaking to someone while taking the extreme step, but the identity of the person remains unclear. Police have launched an investigation and are examining her call records.
Two days after the incident, on March 24, Akanksha’s father, Tarakeshwar Prasad Shahi, spoke to the media, alleging that his daughter was murdered. He has filed a formal complaint at Piprahi police station, accusing college professor Sanay and hostel warden Rupa of mentally harassing his daughter.
“She was murdered, and her body was hanged to make it look like a suicide,” Shahi claimed.
How the Family Received the News
According to Shahi, he first heard about Akanksha’s death through her friend Sudhanshu, who called him around 8:30 PM on March 22. Sudhanshu, a student in Motihari, had known Akanksha since their time at Polytechnic College in Araria. The two had remained in touch despite studying at different institutions.
When Shahi attempted to contact the hostel warden for confirmation, his calls went unanswered. He then reached out to Akanksha’s best friend, Ghazala, who informed him that Akanksha was not responding to knocks on her door. Suspecting something was wrong, Ghazala alerted the college administration and the police.
By the time Shahi reached the hostel at midnight, his daughter’s body had already been removed from the room. He was not allowed to go near her body, and no suicide note was found.
Allegations Against College Authorities
Shahi stated that Akanksha was a bright student and had never shown signs of distress until late 2024. He alleged that Professor Sanay had been harassing her since December 2024, frequently scolding her in class and threatening to expel her by reducing her practical marks.
“On February 28, 2025, Sanay warned my daughter that he would fail her in one subject and get her expelled,” Shahi said. “I even visited the college and spoke to the principal and teachers. They assured me that the issue would be resolved, but nothing changed.”
Akanksha had visited home during Holi and appeared happy, according to her father. She returned to the hostel on March 18, and he last spoke to her on March 21. He insists that she was in a normal state of mind during their conversation, making it difficult for him to believe that she took her own life.
College Principal’s Statement
College Principal Kaushalendra Kumar Singh confirmed that hostel authorities became suspicious when Akanksha did not open her door for several hours.
“We received information around 8 PM that a student had locked herself in for 3–4 hours. The warden was called, and the police arrived soon after. When the door was broken down, we found Akanksha hanging from the ceiling. We do not know the reason for the suicide,” Singh said.
Student Protests and Police Investigation
Following the incident, students at the college erupted in protest, vandalizing the campus between 1 and 2 AM on March 23. In response, police registered cases against 16 students and questioned them. The college has been temporarily closed until further notice.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Shailesh Kumar Sinha stated that Akanksha’s body was handed over to her family after a postmortem.
Authorities are now analyzing her call records as part of the investigation.
