Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 18 July 2024
The body of R. Srinivas Rao, a resident of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, was discovered in a hotel near Kolkata airport late night on 15th July 2024, raising suspicions of an unnatural death.
Police were alerted by hotel staff after repeated knocks on Rao’s door went unanswered. Forced to break open the door, police found Rao’s body in a condition that suggested a possible case of unnatural death. According to a hotel official, Rao had arrived in Kolkata for work on July 13 and had booked a room for two days. When he failed to check out by the designated time on July 15, hotel staff attempted to contact him.
At around 11:30 p.m., with no response from inside the room, police was alerted. Hotel staff informed a media outlet that a nylon rope was around the neck of the body, tied to the ceiling fan, while the body was seated on the bed. His body was promptly sent to Barasat Hospital for a post-mortem examination. The preliminary autopsy report will reveal the exact cause of death.
Police have notified Rao’s family and are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding his death. The initial assessment suggests suicide, but authorities are exploring all possibilities. An unnatural death case has been registered, and the investigation is ongoing. Officers have seized Rao’s mobile phone as part of their inquiry.
The Airport Police Station in Kolkata is handling the case, seeking to understand why Rao, a resident of A & N Islands, might have chosen to end his life in Kolkata.