Sources identified him as Debamalya Roy Karmakar, a native of Tripura. He was a Electronics and Communication Engineering student. It is being suspected that he died by suicide though the exact reason which prompted him to take the extreme step is yet to be ascertained.

Speaking to Odisha Bytes, NIT-Rourkela Registrar Rohan Dhiman said that the student was alone in the room since his roommate had left for his hometown in Sambalpur. “His parents were constantly in touch with him and they informed the authorities when he did not take their call this morning. The door had to be forced open. Police have reached the spot and they are waiting for the forensic team to arrive,” he said, adding that further details will be known later.

The deceased have been identified as Jyotsnarani Das, a retired teacher, and her son Sudhir Panda.

The maid spotted them hanging and informed police, which reached the spot and initiated an investigation. Though the reason behind the deaths is yet to be ascertained, it is being suspected that the two died by suicide.

Sources said that the mother-son duo were the only people at home since Sudhir’s wife was reportedly visiting her parents at Hinjili. The woman’s younger son had also allegedly committed suicide in the same house during the COVID pandemic.

Police are likely to question the daughter-in-law, the sources added.