Another model found dead in Kolkata, fourth suicide in a fortnight

Yet another model was found dead in her residence in Kolkata, the fourth such incident in the city in a fortnight involving someone from the world of showbiz, the police said on Monday.

The body of 18-year-old Saraswati Das, who was also a make-up artist, was found hanging in a room in her residence at Bediadanga in Kasba area on Sunday, the police said.

Initial probe revealed that Saraswati, who modelled for small ventures and had received a number of offers, had allegedly hanged herself in her room on Saturday night using a dupatta, a senior police official said. 

"It seems that it's a case of suicide, but we need to look into other angles too. Saraswati's grandmother first found her hanging and used the vegetable cutter to cut the rope and bring her down. She rushed the girl to a nearby hospital, who informed us. We are waiting for the post mortem report," he said.

The official said that the police is also trying to find our whether Saraswati had any connection with the other three -- models Manjusha Neogi, Bidisha De Majumdar and television actor Pallabi Dey, all of whom had died due to suspected suicide.

"The girl it seems hanged herself on Saturday night after her mother and aunt left for work. We have seized her mobile phone and are checking her activity on social networking platforms as part of our investigations," the officer added.

Saraswati's father had deserted the family in her childhood and she was brought up by her mother and aunt, he said.

Manjusha (26), a model, was found hanging in her room on Friday last week. The suspected suicide of her friend and colleague Bidisha De Majumdar on Wednesday had upset her, Manjusha's mother said.  

Pallabi Dey was also found dead in her room in the apartment she had rented at Garfa on May 15.