IIT Bombay student death: Handwriting analysis confirms 'suicide note' written by deceased, say cops
Mumbai (PTI): The Mumbai police's SIT, which is probing the death of IIT Bombay student Darshan Solanki, has received a report from a handwriting expert, which says the handwriting in the purported suicide note recovered from the institute' hostel matched the writing samples of the deceased, confirming that it was written by him, an official said on Friday.
Solanki, who hailed from Ahmedabad in Gujarat and was a first-year student of the B Tech (Chemical) course, allegedly committed suicide by jumping off the seventh floor of a hostel building located on the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) campus in suburban Powai on February 12 this year.
The Maharashtra government has formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe his death. His family has claimed that he faced discrimination at the premier institute for belonging to a Scheduled Caste (SC) community and suspected foul play in his death. However, the inquiry committee set up by the IITB has ruled out caste-based discrimination and hinted at deteriorating academic performance as a possible cause of suicide.
"We have received the report of handwriting analysis conducted by an expert, which confirmed that the handwriting of Darshan Solanki matches that in the suicide note found in his hostel room," an official said.
"The suicide note recovered by the SIT on March 3, mentioned the name of Solanki's hostel mate and blamed him for the death," he said.
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Kerala woman on trek at Tadiandamol hills goes missing, search operations on
Bengaluru (PTI): A 36-year-old woman, who went trekking at Tadiandamol hills in Kodagu district, has gone missing inside the forest. Additional personnel and drone cameras have been deployed to search for her, Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said on Sunday.
He said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, expressing concern about the young woman's disappearance, instructed that search operations be intensified.
G S Sharanya had come alone from Kerala for the trek and stayed at a private homestay in Kakkabe village.
She had gone to the high mountain range of Tadiandamol hills in Kodagu with a guide and 15 other trekkers on April 2. She went missing that afternoon. As soon as the matter was known, five teams of 50 people, including police, the anti-Naxal squad, a dog squad and forest personnel were formed, and are conducting searches, the minister's office said in a statement.
According to Khandre, CM Siddaramaiah expressed concern about the disappearance of the young woman who went on a trek and instructed that additional personnel be deployed for the search.
"Four additional teams of 40 personnel have been deployed today. A total of 9 teams are conducting the search operation. Honest efforts continue to find the missing young woman," he said.
Further noting that, as per reports, the young woman last contacted the homestay by phone on Thursday, stating she had lost her way, the minister said, "Search is being conducted based on her phone location. Local tribal people have also rushed to help, and sophisticated thermal drone cameras have been obtained with an additional team deployed starting today."
