Hyderabad: Telugu television anchor Swetcha Votarkar was found dead by suicide at her residence in Chikkadpally on Friday night, sending shockwaves through journalist circles. She was 40.
Police said the incident took place around 10:30 p.m. at her home in Jawaharnagar. Chikkadpally Inspector Raju Naik confirmed that she was found hanging from a ceiling fan using a lungi.
Swetcha had been living with her daughter and a male friend after separating from her husband five years ago. Investigators suspect personal differences with the friend may have led to the incident, though a clear motive is still being probed.
Her body was shifted to Gandhi Hospital for postmortem. Police registered a case based on a complaint from her mother, Sridevi and launched an investigation.
Swetcha’s parents live in Ramnagar. Her father, Shankar, was a former state president of PDSU in united Andhra Pradesh. Her mother Sridevi is associated with Chaitanya Mahila Sangham.
She was recently elected to the executive committee of a journalists’ housing society. Known for her work as a television anchor, her sudden death has left colleagues and peers in mourning.