By IANS
London : An Indian student enrolled at Lancaster University died in July, but after months of investigation the coroner has ruled that it has not been possible to determine the exact cause of his death.
Harianand Loknath, 24, was studying for a Masters in Finance at the university in north-west England. He was found dead in his bedroom in the Graduate Hall on July 5. He was believed to have been dead for several days until his body was discovered.
An inquest into his death was unable to determine exactly how he died. Deputy coroner Derek Baker, who was forced to record an open verdict, said there were no suspicious circumstances and insufficient evidence of suicide.
But Loknath was unlikely to have died from natural causes, he said.
Consultant pathologist Nick Mapstone carried out a post mortem on Loknath, but was unable to ascertain a cause of death due to the body’s state of decomposition. Medication found in his bedroom could not be identified in the post mortem. There was no evidence of self-harming.
Loknath had reportedly seen his doctor for depression and sleeping problems and had taken prescribed medication. The police found records of a use of websites for advice on suicidal thoughts on Loknath’s laptop.
He had reportedly told his doctor that he was not feeling suicidal. His doctor, Duncan Hallam, said in a statement read out at the inquest: “I didn’t think he was at high risk of suicide at this time.”
Loknath’s friends told the local media that he had recently been inhaling butane gas from lighters to give himself a ‘high’ and to help him sleep. His body was found by porter Geoffrey Todd on July 5 after Loknath’s friends became concerned at not having seen him for several days.