The family of Kripa Malakar, a second-year student of Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya (JNRM), says it is still struggling to understand what led to her death, days after the young woman was found dead inside the college’s girls’ hostel in Sri Vijaya Puram, in what police have described as a suspected case of suicide.
Kripa Malakar, a Geography undergraduate from Diglipur, was found in the early hours of the day on the JNRM campus. College authorities alerted the police soon after the incident, following which forensic teams reached the hostel to collect evidence. Officials have said the circumstances surrounding the death remain unclear and that conclusions will only be drawn after post-mortem and forensic reports are received.
In an exclusive interaction with The Wave Andaman, Kripa’s father said the family has been repeatedly called to the police station as part of the investigation but has received little clarity so far. “We are still looking for answers,” he said, adding that the family is yet to be told what exactly happened to his daughter.
He said a young man has been questioned by the police but stressed that there is no confirmed evidence at this stage linking him to the incident. According to the father, the police have described the questioning as routine and have not indicated any conclusions so far.
Asked whether the case could involve a personal relationship, he said no such details have been officially established. He added that the investigation remains at a preliminary stage and that the family is cooperating fully with the authorities while waiting for clarity. “As parents, we just want to know the truth,” he said.
Police officials have said they are examining all possible angles related to the case and will refrain from drawing any inferences until forensic and post-mortem reports are available. College authorities have also said they are extending full cooperation to the investigation.
This is the second such incident reported at the JNRM girls’ hostel within a gap of a few months. Another female student had died in similar circumstances at the same hostel earlier, an incident that had also raised concerns among students and parents. The recurrence has intensified questions around student safety, mental well-being and institutional support systems on campus.
The latest death has once again drawn attention to concerns around student well-being at JNRM, following reports of student deaths in recent months. While each case carries its own circumstances, the repetition of such tragedies has unsettled the campus community.
National data places the incident in a wider context. According to the National Crime Records Bureau’s 2023 figures, 13,892 students died by suicide last year – the highest number recorded in a decade, accounting for more than eight percent of all suicide deaths in India. Over the past ten years, student suicides have increased by around 65 percent, rising faster than overall suicide deaths nationwide.
For many families, warning signs are often recognised only in hindsight. Academic stress, emotional withdrawal or personal struggles can remain hidden, particularly among students studying away from home.
In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where many students come from remote areas, access to consistent mental health support remains limited. While counselling services and helplines exist, stigma around seeking psychological help continues to discourage many young people from speaking openly about emotional distress.
As the investigation into Kripa Malakar’s death continues, the college community remains subdued. For the family, closure now hinges on the findings of the inquiry. For others on campus, the tragedy has revived difficult questions about whether enough is being done to identify distress early and prevent such losses.
