JNU PhD scholar, missing for three days, found dead in hostel

Manipur's JR Philemon was found dead in room no 171 of the Brahmaputra Hostel of the Jawaharlal Nehru University.

New Delhi: Amid the hullabaloo over Najeeb Ahmed, who has been missing for quite a few days now, students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) were on Tuesday left shocked upon finding the body of a student from the northeast in a hostel room.

The deceased has been identified as JR Philemon, the native of Senapati district in Manipur.

The 31-year-old was found dead in room no 171 of the Brahmaputra Hostel on Tuesday evening, police said.

He was pursuing his Ph.D. on the subject of West Asia and he hadn't been seen for the last three days, a senior police officer said.

"When a foul smell started emanating from the room, the student in the neighbouring room called other students and security and forcefully opened the door. He was found dead in the room," he said.

"The deceased had a history of alcoholism. There seems no foul play done, prima facie, and it seems like a natural death," another police official added. 

The case is being investigated and post-mortem report awaited, the officer added.

Meanwhile, with no trace of missing JNU student Najeeb Ahmed for over 10 days, the Delhi Police had on Monday announced an increase in the reward for any information leading to him from Rs 50,000 to 1 lakh even as agitating students knocked at the doors of Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung over the issue.

(With Agency inputs)