Kerala’s police have set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to thoroughly probe the tragic deaths of two teenage girls who were found dead inside a Sports Authority of India (SAI) hostel room in Kollam district earlier this month. The case has drawn widespread attention and raised serious questions about the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The two victims — Sandra A (18) from Kozhikode district and Vyshnavi V (15) from Thiruvananthapuram district — were trainee athletes staying at the SAI hostel near the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in Kollam. They were found hanging from ceiling fans in their locked room on the morning of January 15, after failing to report for their scheduled training session. Hostel authorities broke open the door upon discovering they had not responded to repeated knocks.
Initial police findings suggested that both girls may have taken their own lives, with handwritten notes seeking forgiveness from their parents reportedly recovered from the scene. However, families of the victims have contested this explanation, rejecting the suicide theory and demanding a comprehensive investigation into possible negligence or other contributing factors.
In response to these concerns, Kollam City Police constituted a six-member SIT, led by a senior local inspector and overseen by the Kollam Assistant Commissioner of Police. The team is tasked with reconstructing the events leading up to the deaths, interviewing fellow trainees and hostel staff, and reviewing all available evidence, including forensic findings and witness statements.
Parents and community members have voiced distress over the handling of the case and the conditions at the training facility. Sandra’s mother stated her daughter had previously complained about being unhappy at the hostel and had expressed a desire to return home. Meanwhile, local police continue to record statements from classmates, officials, and relatives as part of the expanded probe.
Authorities have emphasised that the investigation remains open, and no definitive cause of death has been established. The SIT’s findings are expected to shed more light on whether systemic issues at the hostel played a role in the tragedy.
News as reported
