Dewas: Indian Jiu-Jitsu athlete Rohini Kalam was reportedly found dead at her residence in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh, on Sunday in a suspected case of suicide.
The 35-year-old, who had represented India in international Jiu-Jitsu competitions and won a bronze medal at the 8th Asian Championship in Abu Dhabi, was also employed as a martial arts coach at a local school.
According to a report published by NDTV, Kalam's father, a retired Bank Note Press employee, and her mother and sister were all away from home when the suspected suicide took place. Upon returning, her sister Roshni Kalam reportedly found her hanging inside the house. She was immediately taken to a nearby hospital, but doctors declared her dead on arrival.
Preliminary investigation suggests suicide, although no note has been recovered from the scene so far.
Family members have alleged that Rohini had been under severe work-related stress. "She was worried about her job. The faculty at her school were troubling her. Her school's principal was troubling her. I could sense it from the way she was speaking on her phone," NDTV quoted Roshni as saying.
Rohini's father said she aspired to crack the UPSC examination and become an IPS officer, and had also been pursuing the state's Vikram Award for two years. He added that she had been facing pressure at work and had been resisting marriage proposals.
Family members also mentioned that Rohini had undergone surgery for a stomach lump recently and had been dealing with health issues since then.
Police have registered a case at the Bank Note Press police station and have begun investigating the circumstances leading to her death.