New Delhi: Indian sprinter Palender Chaudhury allegedly committed suicide in the athletics academy at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi. His body was discovered hanging from the ceiling fan of his hostel room. The reason behind his actions doesn’t seem much clear to the police as of now.

A friend of the 18-year-old Palender alerted the rest on finding the athlete hanging from his room’s ceiling when he went to meet with him on Tuesday.

His coach and a few other guards had carried him to the medical centre of the stadium, from where he was taken to the SJ Hospital for further treatment. SJ Hospital announced about his death on Wednesday morning.

Palender had represented India at the international level in 100 and 200-metre events and also took part in the Youth Asia Athletic meet in Bangkok in 2017. He had been practising and living in the stadium since last two months.

An official of Sports Authority of India (SAI) told ANI that the young sprinter had an argument with his father the previous morning.

“I was told he had an argument on phone with his father in the morning yesterday. Later his sister came to talk to him too. Unfortunately, we could not save him despite our best efforts,” the official said.

Mahesh Pal, Palender’s father, clarified to ANI, “He told me he needed money. I assured him that I will give him the money. I don’t know what happened later. I’ve no complaints against the people at the stadium.”

The police could not find any suicide note in the room. Investigations are on to find the reason behind his death.