AN 18-year-old Indian American University of Illinois student, who was found dead last month, died due to hypothermia and acute alcohol intoxication with prolonged exposure to extremely cold temperatures significantly contributing to his death, authorities have said.
Hypothermia happens when you have long exposure to cold weather and your body temperature drops dangerously low.
Akul B Dhawan was found dead outside the campus building around 11am on January 20. Arrow Ambulance, Urbana Fire Department and the University of Illinois Police Department were dispatched to the location after they received a report of an unresponsive male on a porch.
An autopsy that was performed on January 23 confirmed Dhawan’s death was due to hypothermia. “Acute alcohol intoxication and prolonged exposure to extremely cold temperatures significantly contributed to his death,” Champaign county coroner Stephen Thuney said. He ruled the death accidental.
A report in WANDTV.com said that according to the University of Illinois Police Department’s investigation, Dhawan had met with friends at approximately 9pm on January 19 and had consumed alcohol. At approximately 10pm, they said Dhawan and his friends went to a local club in Urbana.
“Security video showed him consuming more alcohol before the group returned to the club,” the report cited police as saying.
University police said Dhawan’s friends re-entered the club between 11.25pm and 11.29pm while Dhawan stayed outside.
“He was denied entry by venue staff when he tried to come in at 11:31 pm. He continued to attempt to gain access to the venue multiple times but was repeatedly denied by staff,” the WANDTV.com report said.
Police said that around midnight, two different rideshare vehicles were called to pick up Dhawan outside the club but he declined both rides “despite attempts by venue staff and a passerby to convince him to accept the rides.” Subsequent phone calls and text messages sent by friends to Dhawan’s phone were not answered, the report said.
Since the beginning of this year, a string of deaths among Indian and Indian American students has caused alarm and concern among the community.
Last month, 25-year-old Indian student Vivek Saini was hammered to death by a homeless drug addict in Georgia. Indian American Sameer Kamath, 23, a student at Purdue University, who was found dead in a nature preserve in Indiana earlier this month, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, according to authorities.
(PTI)
Dharavi slum in Mumbai
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Man pleads not guilty to murder of BBC presenter's family
A 26-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering the wife and two daughters of BBC sports commentator John Hunt in a crossbow and knife attack.
Kyle Clifford, who also faces charges of rape, appeared via video link at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday.
Clifford, arrested in July after a manhunt, is charged with three counts of murder, one count each of rape and false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons – a 10-inch knife and a crossbow.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session.
He is expected to enter a plea for that charge at a later date.
The victims were Carol Hunt, 61, wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.
An earlier hearing revealed that Louise had been found tied up and that both she and her sister had been shot with a crossbow, while their mother had been stabbed with a knife.
The fatal attack occurred at the family’s home in Bushey, a commuter town near Watford, northwest of London.
(With inputs from AFP)