Trainee athletes’ death: parents allege distress at SAI hostel, seek probe

The parents of a trainee athlete who was found dead at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) hostel in Kollam have alleged that their daughter was unhappy and fed up with staying at the sports facility.

Sandra A., 18, from Kozhikode and Vyshnavi V., 15, from Thiruvananthapuram were found dead in their hostel room on January 15.

The police said preliminary investigation pointed to personal issues behind the deaths.

Sandra’s mother, Sindhu, told reporters on Saturday that her daughter had often told the family that she was fed up with living at the SAI facility. She said Sandra had expressed her wish to return home after her Plus Two examinations and pursue a physiotherapy course. “Due to our situation, I used to ask her to continue there,” she added.

Ms. Sindhu said Sandra never disclosed her problems to the family.

Demanding a proper investigation into the incident, Ms. Sindhu said Sandra had often described the hostel as a jail and was desperate to return home.

Sandra’s father, Ravi, also said his daughter had once expressed unwillingness to continue at the hostel.

The SAI authorities in a statement said an inquiry was under way.

Meanwhile, the Kollam East police, who registered a case of unnatural death, said a detailed probe was on into the incident.