Nepali student commits suicide at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University hostel

COIMBATORE: A 26-year-old Nepali student pursuing master's at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University here committed suicide in his hostel room in the early hours of Thursday.
Sandesh Newpane, who hailed from Bharatpur in Chitwan region of Nepal, was found hanging from the topmost grill of his room window in the Red Fort Hostel around 1.30am.
Police suspect a failed love affair might be the reason for the suicide since his academic records and performance at the university were good.
Newpane was found dead by his hostel mate, staying in the next room, who went to check on him after realising that there was still light in his room even after their friends had gone to bed.
“The student alerted the hostel warden and security guard who in turn called the police,” said police officials in R S Puram station. Newpane was last seen at 10pm before he retired to his room after finishing his dinner at the mess.
Newpane was in the second year of his master's programme in plant pathology in TNAU. “He seemed to be a good student. His academic records are good and so are his project work in the university,” said TNAU vice-chancellor N Kumar.
“The student also was not new to our system, because he has done his under graduation in Punjab,” he said. “From the university’s side, we don’t know the reason for his decision. We may have an idea once his parents arrive,” he added.
The student’s parents were informed by the R S Puram police. They were on their way to the city, said a university official.
Police officials, who visited the spot and interacted with his friends, said Newpane had been in love with a girl who lived in Kathmandu and used to speak to her regularly. “His friends said the girl had gone to London recently,” said an official.