A 23-year-old Indian postgraduate girl student from Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh was killed and a male student was injured in a brutal attack on them at their university hostel in Handsworth, a suburb of Birmingham, Tuesday night.

Jyotirmayee Nagasaibabu, who was doing her post graduation in Physiotherapy at University of Wolverhampton, was found dead in her hostel room, which she shared with four other students from Andhra Pradesh, official sources said. She was hit on the head as she opened the door of the room and died on the spot while her roommate sustained injuries.

The condition of the injured student, whose name has not been disclosed, was stated to be out of danger. West Midlands police said forensic tests were being carried out at the premises and a post-mortem examination would be carried out on the body soon.

According to sources, burglary seemed to be the cause of the attack. They said Jyotirmayee was in the hostel along with four other Telugu-speaking students shortly before her death. However, residents in the nearby buildings said there appeared to be only two persons inside the room at the time of the incident. The victim’s father Saibabu alleged in Vijaywada that her daughter was murdered in her apartment. Jyotirmayee’s senior had called up in the early hours about the tragedy, he said.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma has written to Indian High Commission in London and the Consular General in Birmingham to extend all possible help to find out the cause behind the assault on Jyotirmayee.