Thiruvananthapuram: A 25-year-old final-year medical college student died in Kallambalam after he was found in an exhausted state in his car. The deceased has been identified as Ashik, a student of Alappuzha Medical College.

According to the Kallambalam police, Ashik, a native of Kilimanoor, had left his home in the family's car around 4 pm yesterday. He had informed his family that he was going to Kallambalam. However, when his family tried contacting him later, his phone was switched off. Following this, Ashik's father, Ansar and a relative went in search of Ashik.

Around 8 pm, Ashik was found unconscious in the car parked near a mosque close to the Rajakumari Shop in Kallambalam. He was rushed to Parippally Medical College Hospital, where the attending doctor declared him dead.

Around two months ago, on August 9, Ashik was reported missing from the Alappuzha Medical College. He had informed the hostel that he was going out to buy food. However, when he failed to return after the stipulated time, the hostel warden, who is also a professor at the college, filed a missing person complaint at the Punnapra police station. He was accompanied by other students from the hostel.

Following the complaint, the police tracked Ashik's phone and found that it was last active in Aroor. Later, Ashik's ATM transactions through his mother's card revealed that he was in Mysore. From there, Ashik had travelled to Goa. Through his transaction details, the Punnapra police traced him to Goa, from where he was brought back. He was later produced before court on August 21 and then left with his parents.

"It seems Ashik was under exam pressure. An exam had been scheduled on the next day of his disappearance. It seems he left because he could not cope with the examination. He was an introverted character and did not keep close contact with anyone," said an officer from the Punnapra police station.

"His father used to call me, and on one such occasion, told me that Ashik was undergoing treatment for the same. I found out about his death from his father yesterday," he further added.

Inquest procedures have been completed, and the body will be handed over to the relatives after the postmortem examination today. Further investigation regarding the incident is underway as the exact cause of death is yet to be ascertained.