Bhubaneswar, May 14: In a tragic incident on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, a young college student allegedly died by su*cide after being distressed over his father’s alcoholism at Mahabir Chhak in Turintira village under Balipatna police station limits on Thursday, a source said.

The deceased was identified as Shiba Prasad Sahu, son of Raj Kishore Sahu from Basantadiha village under Guapur panchayat.

According to the source, Raj Kishore alias Raju has been running a snack shop at Mahabir Chhak for several years and the family depended on the earnings from the eatery for survival. However, he was allegedly addicted to alcohol and would often spend the day’s earnings on liquor, leading to frequent family disputes and financial hardship.

Family members and locals said Shiba, the elder son of the family, repeatedly urged his father to stop drinking, but Raj Kishore allegedly paid no heed to his son’s requests. The continued domestic tension had reportedly left Shiba mentally distressed for a long time.

Shiba was described by locals as a calm, simple and friendly youth. He was a final-year Plus-III Arts student at Sishu Ananta Mahavidyalaya in Balipatna.

Shiba had assisted his father at the snack shop on Thursday morning. After business hours, Raj Kishore reportedly left for a salon for a haircut, asking Shiba to close the shop later, the source added.

Around noon, Shiba had gone to a nearby bank to deposit money. While returning from the bank, he allegedly saw his father consuming alcohol in the market once again, which reportedly left him deeply disturbed.

At around 1pm, Shiba allegedly lost mental balance and hanged himself from the wooden beam inside the shop using a rope.

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When Raj Kishore returned, he reportedly noticed Shiba’s slippers lying outside while the shop door was locked from the inside. Suspecting something unusual, locals broke open the door and rescued him.

He was immediately shifted to the Balipatna Community Health Centre in an ambulance. Later, in the presence of Balipatna police, Shiba was referred to Capital Hospital. However, he could not survive.

The incident triggered shock and grief across the Turintira area.