Mumbai: 19-year-old found dead in Navy’s Cuffe Parade hostel

A 19-year-old daughter of a junior commissioned officer (JCO) in the Indian Navy, who was a student of INHS Asvini College of Nursing in Colaba, was found dead at the Navy hostel in Cuffe Parade.

A 19-year-old daughter of a junior commissioned officer (JCO) in the Indian Navy, who was a student of INHS Asvini College of Nursing in Colaba, was found dead at the Navy hostel in Cuffe Parade.

The teen’s family suspects foul play, as they said she was a cheerful girl focused on her studies, who would never commit suicide. The girl used to maintain a daily diary, which has not yet been handed over to her family by the Navy authorities.

The girl, Khushbu R Mandal, was found hanging from the ceiling fan by her dupatta in her hostel room in INHS Asvini. Three of her friends found her body on Friday evening, and it was taken to GT hospital for post mortem.

Khushbu’s mother, who lives in Delhi, informed the Navy she had spoken to her the previous day and she sounded absolutely normal.

“Khushbu’s mother told us her daughter maintained a daily diary. She also had a habit of writing the name of anyone who had angered her on a piece of paper and then tearing off the paper. The mother was not allowed to visit Khushbu’s room, so she could not find her diary or any pieces of paper,” a close relative told HT.

Defence spokesperson Commander Rahul Sinha said, “The hospital authorities notified the Cuffe Parade police immediately and probe is on. No suicide note was found. The Navy has instituted an inquiry.”