Deaths of two teenagers under Ernakulam rural police lens

Kochi: The death of a 17-year-old boy in Njarackal has posed fresh worries for Ernakulam rural police, who are already struggling to make headway in the mysterious death of a 16-year-old girl found in a quarry pond in Chottanikkara.The girl died by suicide on Jan 27, after allegedly learning that her social media friend, believed to be a Korean national, had passed away. Police recovered a suicide note in which she mentioned the friend's death and cited depression as the reason for taking the extreme step. However, investigators have been unable to establish the identity of the person referred to in the note. Apart from her interest in learning the Korean language and watching Korean films, police have found no clues about the friend. Her mobile phone was recovered but could not be unlocked initially. Even after accessing it, no details confirming the identity of the friend were found. The phone has been sent to the regional forensic science laboratory in Thiruvananthapuram for further data analysis. Meanwhile, Arjun Kumar of Njarackal was found dead on Elamkunnapuzha beach on Friday. Autopsy confirmed drowning and police are treating it as suicide. His relatives have sought a detailed probe. The boy's mobile phone was recovered from the body, but was severely damaged after being submerged in water.