One athlete has died, 3 more are critical after consuming poisonous fruit at the SAI Water Sports Institute in Kerala
A 15-year-old athlete has died and three more are critical after consuming poisonous fruit in an apparent suicide pact at a government-run sports training institute in Kerala's Alappuzha.
The girls were rowers and training at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Water Sports Centre. Two of them are national gold medalists. Their families allege that they were "unable to bear physical and mental torture" by their seniors.
All four allegedly signed a suicide note. Only one of them is conscious; she has given a statement to the police.
"There is no antidote to this poison. At this point we can only hope and pray," said Injeti Srinivas, the Director General of SAI.
Mr Srinivas has been asked by Union Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to investigate what happened.
The girl who died was allegedly beaten with an oar by a trainer recently. Reports suggest she had complained but no action had been taken.
The four girls were found unconscious on Wednesday evening in a hostel room, at least five or six hours after they consumed the fruit. They were taken to hospital by the warden and a helper.
The relatives of the teens say coaches in the institute are notoriously harsh and there have been many complaints in the past. An institute official, however, denied that the girls were harassed.
"We are really shocked. The sports authority institutions are really safe for women," said Anju Bobby George, a Commonwealth champion.