Young man from Kasaragod found dead in Maravoor hotel; police recover note
MANGALURU: Arjun Mahesh, 24, a native of Mukkood in Pallikkara, Kasaragod, was found dead in a hotel room near Mangaluru Airport on Monday afternoon, police said. The deceased was discovered hanging at the Sky Grand Empire Hotel in Maravoor after relatives, alarmed that he had returned to India but not reached home, conducted a search in the city, Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy said.
Bajpe police initially responded to the report and the case is now being examined by officers from the local police limits, the commissioner said. According to the police, a brief note was recovered from the room; it was addressed to his mother and two friends and reportedly read: 'Amma, I'm sorry, inform friends.'
"Arjun was found hanging in his hotel room after relatives located him in Maravoor," Mangaluru city commissioner of police Sudheer Kumar Reddy said.
Arjun, the son of K Radhika and Mahesh, had been working as an automobile engineer in Dubai and had returned to India recently, the commissioner said. Relatives told police that he did not go back home after arriving in the country; their concern prompted the search that led them to the hotel.
The death follows the suicide of his younger sister, Ayja R Mahesh (also reported as Aija R Mahesh), 19, who was a NEET aspirant. Ayja was found hanging in a hostel in Pala on June 2 while preparing for the NEET re-examination. Their mother had earlier said Ayja had been confident of securing good marks but became distressed after the National Testing Agency cancelled the earlier NEET and announced a re-examination following allegations of a question paper leak.
Police action and lines of inquiry
Police said they have launched an investigation to determine the circumstances that led to Arjun's death. Statements from family members and friends are expected to be recorded as part of the probe. Authorities are examining events and communications preceding the incident, the commissioner said.
- Location: Sky Grand Empire Hotel, Maravoor (near Mangaluru Airport)
- Victim: Arjun Mahesh, 24, automobile engineer employed in Dubai
- Key evidence: A brief note recovered from the room addressed to his mother and friends
Local police sources identified the hotel as falling under Kavoor police station limits, and Bajpe police were involved in the initial response. Investigators will record witness statements and pursue forensic and digital probes as part of routine procedure in an unattended death, officials said.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Ayja (Aija) R Mahesh found dead in Pala hostel | June 2, 2026 |
| Arjun Mahesh found dead in Maravoor hotel | August 10–11, 2026 (reported Monday afternoon) |
Community and mental-health workers in coastal Karnataka have in recent years raised concerns about examination-related stress, migration-linked pressures on families and the limited availability of timely counselling in towns and rural areas. While police investigations focus on establishing the proximate cause of an individual death, officials from health and education departments have previously urged families and institutions to be vigilant and to seek support early when students show signs of severe distress.
Authorities requested patience while enquiries continue; additional details will be released when the probe establishes the facts. Meanwhile, both the Kasaragod family and local law enforcement are processing two successive tragedies that have attracted attention in the region.
Local residents and those affected by examinations-related anxiety may contact mental-health helplines and the district mental wellness programmes that operate in Dakshina Kannada and neighbouring districts for immediate support, officials advised in earlier similar cases.
