Kollam: The parents of a trainee athlete who was found hanging at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) hostel in Kollam have alleged that their daughter was distressed and exhausted by life at the sports facility.

Sandra A (18), from Chaliyam in Kozhikode district, and Vyshnavi V (15), of Muthakkal in Thiruvananthapuram district, were found dead in their hostel room on January 15. Police said suicide notes were recovered from both girls, and preliminary findings indicate personal reasons behind the deaths.

Sandra’s mother, Sindhu, told reporters that her daughter frequently complained about staying at the SAI hostel and had wanted to return home after completing Plus Two and take up a physiotherapy course.

“Because of our circumstances, I kept telling her to continue there. She used to share everything with us,” she said.

Sindhu said Sandra was permitted to contact the family only on Sundays and Thursdays. However, on Wednesday night, a day before her death, Sandra called her using the warden’s phone.

“I sensed a change in her voice and asked her about it. She said nothing was wrong and then spoke to her father,” Sindhu said.

She added that after a change of warden about a month ago, communication became more difficult. Sindhu alleged that the hostel in-charge, Rajeev, had warned Sandra not to allow her mother to speak to the warden and told her that she could be sent out if she did.

“The girl could not call us directly and had to use others’ phones. I felt she was struggling under a very strict system,” she said.

Sindhu said that in her suicide note, Sandra asked the family to look after her younger brother. “She wrote that she was going to commit a mistake and asked us to take care of him,” she added.

Demanding a thorough investigation, she said, “My daughter would not do this. We need justice.”

Sandra’s father, Ravi, also said his daughter had expressed dissatisfaction with the hostel environment. “She said the authorities were not good and that things were no longer the same,” he said.

He claimed that after the incident, SAI officials contacted the family asking one of the parents to come, without providing any details, and that police later informed them of the death.

In a statement, SAI said an internal inquiry was underway. Kollam East Police, which registered a case of unnatural death, said a detailed investigation is in progress and that statements of hostel inmates, school officials and relatives will be recorded.