The Gamdevi police have spoken to some hostelites, but are yet to reach a breakthrough. However, Indu's parents and local guardians have poked holes at statements by college authorities that Indu was not being ragged (see box). ```We even suspect that someone pushed the girl from the terrace, as the JJ Coroner Court's post mortem report clearly indicates that there were scratch marks on her legs. This is highly unusual in a suicide case as it indicates signs of struggle,'' claimed Indu's local guardian A G Johnson.Indu had been complaining to her parents and college authorities that she was being ragged in a vulgar fashion, such as being forced to do strip-tease, added Johnson. But despite naming some of the seniors, no action was takenagainst them, stated Johnson.

``There are over 120 hostelites, of which because hardly 12 are from junior college, they were made easy targets for ragging. On Sunday (August 2), Indu's parents had met the principal, vice-principal and warden to tell them about the problems their daughter was facing in the hostel,'' stated Johnson. He also questioned the sequence of events leading to Indu's death. A few hours before her death, on Monday night, the hostel warden had telephoned the girl's parents, reportedly at Indu's behest, as she wanted to tell them `something more about the ragging', stated Johnson. ``Her father, C L Anto, then decided to take her back home to Borivli on Tuesday. But before he arrived at the hostel, Indu had been declared dead at Jaslok Hospital,'' stated Johnson.

Johnson also questioned why the girl was taken to hospital 90 minutes after the fatal fall, despite the fact that Jaslok is down the road from Sophia's. ``Indu left no suicide note; in fact, she was conscious and screaming inpain when taken to hospital. Then why didn't the police arrive in time to take down her dying declaration? The college wanted to hush up the fact that the ragging had intensified on Monday night, since the students knew she would leave for home on Tuesday,'' claimed Johnson.

Another family friend, P K Ignatius, added that Indu had scored 81 per cent marks in SSC from Mary Immaculate Girls' High School, Borivli. ``All her school teachers are shocked to learn that such a cheerful girl could be driven to suicide. Indu used to regularly participate in elocutions and drawing competitions,'' stated Ignatius. Indu's body was flown to Kerela early on Wednesday for her last rites.