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Ph.D student from 24 pargana dies of drug overdose at Pune
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SPECIALCORRESPONDENT on 24 March, 2008 05:58:00
 
Pune  police are probing the death of a 27-year-old Ph.D student from West
Bengal who allegedly died of a drug overdose.
Himan H. Mukhopadhyaya was researching on gravitational waves at the Inter
University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune, when she took an
overdose of 'Asomax' tablets meant for controlling blood pressure on last
Thursday.
"She consumed 130 tablets and was taken to a private hospital near the
university the same night," said a police officer investigating into the death.
Himan died around 5.30 am the next day. Following a post-mortem, the body was
handed over to her mother and the last rites were performed here on March 22.
"Himan was suffering from obesity-induced high blood pressure for quite some
time," the officer said.
It was not immediately known why she took so many tablets. Both the police and
the university officials maintained that there were no signs of Himan being
under stress or depression.
"The incident has come as a surprise to all of us. She always came across as a
positive and strong person," Ajit Kembhavi, dean for visitors' academic
programmes and distinguished professor at the IUCAA told TOI on Sunday. Himan
was 'highly successful' in academic work, he added.
Sub-inspector Udaysinh Patil said the vicera sample has been preserved for
chemical analysis to ascertain the cause of death.
Himan, who was from Ali Shahar Kansaripada in 24 North Parganas near Kolkata,
joined the university as a project student five years ago and stayed in a hostel
on the campus.
"She would always come across as a very positive and strong person," Kembhavi
said. "We found her very brilliant and talented. Following her project, we
decided to continue her as a research scholar."