BARC: Woman scientist commits suicide

A 27-year-old woman scientist working with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre allegedly committed suicide at its quarters in high-security Anushakti Nagar in Mumbai's eastern suburbs , police said on Thursday.

Tital Pal, hailing from Kolkata, was found hanging with dupatta to a window rod at her 14th floor house in Nilgiri apartments late on Wednesday night, police said.

The incident comes ten days after the alleged murder of another scientist Mahadevan Iyer, a mechanical engineer working in the BARC's Reactor Group. His body was found in his first floor apartment in the BARC quarters in south Mumbai on February 22, sending shock waves in the institution.

According to police, Tital, working in Radio Chemistry and Isotope group, returned home from work at 1630, two hours early from her regular duty.

"In the evening, her father called her but she did not attend the call. Her father then phoned her neighbours, who knocked at the door, but Tital did not respond to that as well," Deputy Police Commissioner Dilip Sawant said. "They subsequently opened the door and found her hanging," he said, adding she was rushed to nearby hospital where she was declared dead.

Tital, who had joined BARC three year ago had recently told her colleagues that she was about to get married.