BARC scientist commits suicide

Pal,an MSc in chemistry from the Calcutta University,joined BARC four years ago as a chemical scientist in the radiochemistry department,a year after an orientation course there. A police official said her family had arranged her marriage,with her consent,to a Kolkata doctor,and a request for a transfer to Kolkata had been granted. “According to her colleagues,she didn’t seem disturbed in any way. As a habit,she would call up her father after returning from work,but she didn’t on Wednesday,” said assistant commissioner of police J Khandagale.

Pal’s father Subrata,an assistant engineer with Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation,got worried when she didn’t respond to his calls from their home in Shyambazar. Pal called up one of his daughter’s colleagues,who went to her room,got no response to knocks on the door,got neighbours to break open the door and found the body,Khandagale said. Subrata Pal arrived Thursday with two relatives at Rajawadi Hospital.

Nothing had happened in the family that could have upset her,they said; she wasn’t under stress at work either. “She really enjoyed her stay with her parents,brother and grandmother. Her father had seen her off when she left for Mumbai,” said a relative.

Police said they haven’t found a suicide note. An official said they would check her cellphone records.

Madhyamik student kills self
A student appearing for his Madhyamik examination this year committed suicide in his room by hanging himself at his residence in Amratala of Burrabazar last night. The police said that 19-year-old Yash Kagarna,a student of Ballygunge Day Park School,had not been a good student and fear of failure could have prompted him to take the drastic step. ENS