Aeronautical engineer Akanksha, who ended life in Punjab, laid to rest at hometown

MANGALURU: Five days after she committed suicide by jumping off the Lovely University College building in Paghwara, Punjab, the mortal remains of aeronautical engineer Akanksha S Nair were brought to her home at Boliyur near Dharmastala. The last rites were conducted on the family farmland.

The body was brought to Boliyur from the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru by ambulance. Her parents and family members broke down on seeing the casket. Legislator Harish Poonja was among those who paid his last respects to Akanksha.

The death of Akanksha (22) on May 17 had come as a shock for her parents Surendra Nair and Sindhudevi. They had suspected foulplay, even alleging murder, and had demanded that the role of the college should be investigated.

During investigation by the Punjab police, it was revealed that Akanksha had jumped to her death from the fourth floor of the Lovely Professional University at Paghwara. She had completed a three-year aviation course from the institute and was working from SpiceJet in Delhi for the last six months.

Akanksha had planned to go to Germany for higher studies and had gone to LCU to collect her certificates on May 17. Investigation revealed that Akanksha was in a relationship with Professor Bijil Mathew (45), who hailed from Kottayam in Kerala and is the father of two children.

Akanksha had been insisting that Bijil Mathew divorce his wife and marry her, which he refused. She had even visited his house on that day and later texted him that she would end her life. The Jalandhar police have since arrested Mathew for abetment of suicide.