Probe on after IT firm employee found dead at Vadodara residence

Doctors of GK General Hospital said that Riyaz was declared brought-dead.

The Vadodara police has initiated a probe into the alleged suicide of a 25-year-old HR executive employed with an IT firm on Wednesday. The deceased, Dipika Baranda, has not left behind any note, police said.

According to Baranda’s colleagues, neighbours and her domestic help, she “always worked on night shift” and lived in a rented apartment in Akota area of Vadodara. Police said on Wednesday, Baranda left office abruptly amid her night shift.

Finding something amiss, her colleagues came to check on her in the morning but she did not answer the doorbell or calls, they told police.

The domestic help, who arrived later, told the police that the after Baranda did not answer the doorbell, she raised an alarm and other residents of the building called the police.

Police, with the help of fire department, broke open the door and found Baranda hanging from the ceiling fan in her bedroom. They said her phone will be sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to extract messages to ascertain the reason behind her extreme step.

Baranda, a native of Sabarkantha, was living alone in Vadodara and was estranged from her family for six years, police said. SV Chaudhari, inspector, Gotri police station, told The Indian Express, “She has two brothers and a sister who live in Ahmedabad while her parents are in Sabarkantha. The younger brother came to Vadodara to receive the body after autopsy. He told us that Baranda had cut off ties with the family six years ago, after the family disapproved of her former relationship with a man.”

Chaudhari said that the family has said it cannot raise any suspicion or provide details about the deceased as they “were not in touch” at all.

“Our investigation has revealed that she was in a relationship with a man from Ahmedabad. We have questioned him but he has denied any trouble or fight between them. Perhaps we will get details from her phone, which is locked. We are sending it to FSL for transcripts of her chats,” he added.

📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App.