Kochi: A 16-year-old student was found dead in a water-filled abandoned quarry in Thiruvaniyoor in Kochi on Tuesday morning. Adithya, a student at Chottanikkara Government VHSS and resident of Kakkad, had left for school at 7.45 am following her usual routine of attending tuition before classes, but her body was discovered in the water shortly after 9.00 am.

The tragedy unfolded just a few hundred meters from the victim's home. According to local ward member Reji Ellickaparambil, the discovery was made when Adithya's cousin first spotted a body in the water and immediately alerted the neighbourhood.

“The girl left was on her way to the school. Her house is a few hundred metres away from the quarry. It was her second cousin who first saw a body lying upside down in the water and alerted the local residents. We later alerted the police,” Ellickaparambil told Onmanorama.

The site is a dangerous, abandoned quarry estimated to be 400 feet deep, with water levels reaching up to 150 feet. Before the body was officially retrieved by residents and police, the victim was identified by her school bag, books, and lunch box, which were found placed neatly on the shore.

The Chottanikkara Police have registered a case of unnatural death under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The investigation is led by Inspector Tony J Mattom.

“Prima facie, it is a case of suicide. An investigation has been launched and we are collecting details,” said a police officer. The police have completed the initial inquest formalities, and the body has been shifted to Ernakulam Medical College Hospital for a post-mortem examination to confirm the exact cause of death.

Adithya is the only daughter of Mahesh, a well-construction labourer, and Divya, a homemaker. Authorities are currently recording statements from Adithya’s parents and friends.