Sources identified the student as Sandeep Singh (18), hailing from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh. The cause of his taking the extreme step could not be ascertained till late Saturday night.

The incident, which came to light late Friday evening, occurred sometime in the afternoon police said, adding that a team of Kotwali police rushed to the site soon after the death was reported to them around 9 pm. Singh was found hanging in his room at the hostel, situated on the sprawling college campus along the Bhandara road.

Sandeep had taken admission to the hostel less than a month back. On Friday, he had sought and received special permission from the hostel warden to stay out as he had to go shopping.

According to other students in the hostel, Singh sat chatting and sharing jokes with them till around 4 pm, after which he excusedhimself to go back to his room.