Alappuzha: The Sports Authority of India centre here was rocked on Thursday with the death of a girl athlete, who had attempted suicide along with three others by consuming a poisonous fruit, Othalanga, in the SAI hostel on Wednesday.
The Union sports ministry has ordered an inquiry into the incident in which rowing athlete Aparna Ramabhadran, 15, of Chemputhara, Aryad, died and three of her hostel mates, all minors, are battling for life in the Medical College Hospital here.
Aparna was declared brought dead at the MCH on Thursday morning. One of the three being treated at the MCH is a National Games medal-winner. The four promising athletes, two rowers and two kayakers, all undergoing training at the Water Sports Centre of SAI, were found unconscious at the SAI women’s hostel at 7.30 pm on Wednesday.
The girls are suspected to have consumed Othalanga, also known as “suicide fruit” in these parts. The Plus-Two students, who belonged to Alappuzha, had joined the SAI in 2012. Aparna was studying at Puthan-kulangara Higher Secondary School here.
