Jiu-Jitsu athlete Rohini Kalam found dead at home in Madhya Pradesh; suspected suicide owing to work stress

Rohini Kalam, an international jiu-jitsu athlete from Madhya Pradesh’s Dewas, was found dead at her home on Sunday in what police suspect to be a case of suicide, according to reports. The 8th Asian Championship bronze medallist was also employed as a martial arts coach at a school in Ashta and had reportedly been facing significant work-related stress.

When the incident occurred, no family members were present. Her sister, Roshni, discovered her body after returning from a temple visit. Preliminary investigation suggests suicide, though no note has been recovered. Rohini’s father, a retired employee of the Bank Note Press, and other family members were also away from home at the time.

Roshni told NDTV that her sister had been deeply troubled by issues at her workplace. She claimed that Rohini was distressed because her school principal and faculty members were “troubling her,” which had been evident from their recent phone conversations. Rohini had come home to Dewas for the weekend, and on Sunday morning, after having tea and breakfast, she locked herself in her room before taking the extreme step.

Her father revealed that Rohini had long aspired to join the Indian Police Service (IPS) and had been working hard toward earning the prestigious Vikram Award. She had also been under pressure at work, was avoiding marriage proposals, and was recovering from major surgery she underwent five months earlier. Police are continuing their investigation to determine the exact circumstances leading to her tragic death. (With inputs from Agencies)