Cooch Behar Campus Shock: M.Sc Student Found Dead, Police Probe Underway

A 22-year-old first-year M.Sc student, Trisha Saha, was found hanging inside her room at the girls’ hostel of Uttar Banga Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (UBKV) in Pundibari, Cooch Behar, on Thursday morning. Saha, a resident of Shibmandir in Siliguri, was studying Agronomy at the university and resided alone in her room at the hostel.

According to university officials, Saha’s classmates became concerned after she did not respond when they repeatedly called out to her in the morning. The hostel authorities and police were informed, following which officers from Pundibari police station reached the room and broke open the door. Her body was recovered and sent for a post-mortem examination. University Registrar Abhas Kumar Sinha confirmed that she had been staying alone in the room.

Police have not yet conclusively established the cause or circumstances of her death. While an apparent suicide is being considered as one possibility, investigators have stressed that nothing can be determined with certainty until the post-mortem and investigation are completed. Authorities are examining the hostel room, Saha’s recent movements and whether she had been in contact with anyone before her death.

This tragedy has left the university community and the student’s family seeking answers. Saha’s maternal uncle, Parthapratim Saha, said the family was informed by the university on Thursday morning and that they were struggling to understand what had happened. His statement reflects the family’s uncertainty and should not be interpreted as evidence of any particular cause of death.

The case also raises questions about what happened in the preceding hours of Saha’s death and the existence of any warning signs that others may have not paid heed to. At present, however, there is no verified evidence in the reports reviewed indicating academic pressure, a personal dispute, harassment or foul play. Such possibilities should not be attributed as facts without evidence. The post-mortem report and police investigation will be central to determining what happened.

There is also a minor discrepancy in early reporting over Saha’s age, some reports have described her as 22, while the initial information circulating elsewhere put her age at 23. The more detailed IANS-sourced reports identify her as 22, which is the figure used here.


Police are examining the circumstances surrounding Saha’s death, with the post-mortem examination expected to provide crucial evidence about the cause of death. Investigators are also likely to look into the events leading up to the incident and establish whether any other factors were involved. Until those findings emerge, the circumstances of the 22-year-old’s death remain unclear.

The sudden death has left those around Saha grappling with a loss that remains difficult to comprehend. With no confirmed explanation yet for what led to the incident, attention is now on the factual findings that can establish the circumstances surrounding her death. The post-mortem examination is expected to be crucial, while any conclusion about the cause of death at this stage would be premature.