IISc research scholar found dead in hostel

BENGALURU: The decomposed body of a 26-year-old research scholar at Indian Institute of Science (IISc) was found in his hostel room on Friday evening. Police suspect KV Pawan Kumar may have consumed poison about two days ago.
Kumar, from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, was pursuing final year PhD at the department of high energy physics in IISc. “The incident came to light around 4pm and we informed Sadashivanagar police,” said MR Chandrashekar, chief security officer at IISc.
Students said the body was found by the security team after housekeeping staff complained of foul smell in the corridor housing Kumar’s room (no. 36), which is on the second floor of B Block in the new hostel building.
A death note was also found — a copy is with TOI — in which Kumar thanked his parents and friends and said he wanted to be a better person and son if he had a chance at another life. “I want to die, so I am dying (at least trying to),” the first line in the note reads. It requests its finder to inform the authorities and also has Kumar’s father’s mobile number.
“He had locked the door from inside and security staff found his body in a decomposed state. In the death note, he clarified no one is responsible for the extreme step. Hence, we have taken up a case of unnatural death,” police said.
Kumar’s body has been shifted to the mortuary at MS Ramaiah Medical College Hospital and police said they were awaiting arrival of Kumar’s relatives before conducting a postmortem. “We’ll know the cause of death in the postmortem report,” police said.