Early Thursday morning, police reported the discovery of two teenage girls hanging in their hostel room at a Sports Authority of India (SAI) center in Kerala.
Officials identified the deceased as Sandra (17) from Kozhikode district and Vyshnavi (15) from Thiruvananthapuram district, according to information from PTI.
Both were residing at the SAI hostel as part of their training programs. Sandra was an athletics trainee and a Class 12 student, while Vyshnavi was a kabaddi player studying in Class 10.
Incident details
The situation was uncovered around 5 am when fellow trainees realized that neither girl had joined the morning training session, as reported by The Times of India. Hostel staff responded after repeated attempts to get a response went unanswered.
“When there was no reply, the door was forced open,” police stated. “Both girls were discovered hanging from the ceiling fans inside the room.”
Authorities noted that Vyshnavi was technically assigned a different room but had stayed overnight in Sandra’s. Other inmates had seen them earlier that morning.
No immediate signs of a struggle were observed, officials mentioned.
Police response
Kollam East police have initiated an investigation and filed a case. The cause of death remains uncertain. No suicide note was found in the room.
Investigators will interview other trainees, hostel staff, trainers, and the families of the girls over the coming days. Post-mortem examinations will take place before the bodies are returned to their families, according to police.
Authorities indicated that all possible factors will be explored, including academic pressures, training stressors, and any personal or external circumstances.
Hostel background
The hostel accommodates young athletes involved in national-level training programs organized by the Sports Authority of India. Students generally attend regular school while following a rigorous daily training regimen.
Officials did not disclose whether the girls had raised any complaints or concerns before the incident. There had been no reported disciplinary issues involving either girl, according to police.
In recent years, researchers and child welfare advocates have highlighted the increasing mental stress faced by student athletes, especially those living away from home in competitive training settings.
