A final-year mechanical engineering student from Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT) in Sambalpur, Odisha, was found dead under a bridge, sparking widespread shock and concern. The student, 22-year-old Anjaneya Das from Jajpur district, went missing on Monday night. His body, bearing multiple injuries, was discovered under the power-channel (PC) bridge early Tuesday. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
Preliminary inquiries revealed that Anjaneya had been on a phone call with a woman from Uttar Pradesh shortly before the incident. The call was abruptly disconnected, after which she contacted his friends to alert them. Following this, his friends launched a search and eventually found him lying under the bridge in a critical state.
Police are currently examining multiple possibilities, including an accidental fall while he was on the phone, as well as foul play. A murder case has been registered based on a complaint filed by Anjaneya’s father. Investigators are also reviewing CCTV footage, which shows the student walking near the bridge while talking on his phone around 9 pm, shortly before the tragedy occurred.
Family members have raised suspicions about the circumstances of his death, pointing out inconsistencies such as missing belongings and unexplained injuries. They have urged authorities to pursue a thorough investigation. The police, meanwhile, have formed multiple teams, including forensic experts, to reconstruct the sequence of events that led to his death.
The case has left the university community shaken, with students demanding justice and better safety measures around campus. The post-mortem report is expected to provide further clarity on the cause of death, which will play a crucial role in determining whether it was an accident or a case of foul play.