An 18-year-old student was found dead on a railway track in Madhya Pradesh's Ashoknagar district on Monday evening, hours after she left home to buy a birthday cake and clothes for her younger brother. Police have launched an investigation into the case and are examining deleted chat messages recovered from her mobile phone to determine the circumstances leading to her death.

The deceased, identified as Radhika Sharma, had stepped out of her house at around 6 pm. According to her family, she left her mobile phone at home before leaving, while preparations were underway for her younger brother's birthday celebration.

Family's Search Ends in Tragedy

When Radhika failed to return home for several hours, her family began searching for her. During the search, they received information that a young woman's body had been found on a railway track. The family rushed to the spot and identified the body as Radhika.

Police said the station master informed them around 8 pm after a train driver reported that a young woman had suddenly come onto the railway track, resulting in a fatal accident.

The body was sent to the district hospital for post-mortem examination, and further investigation is underway.

Questions Over How She Reached the Track

Family members have questioned the circumstances surrounding the incident, pointing out that the railway track does not fall on the route between their home and the local market where Radhika had planned to shop.

This has raised questions about how she reached the railway line. Investigators are currently examining both accidental death and suicide as possible angles and have not reached any final conclusion.

Deleted Chats Under Investigation

Dehat Police Station in-charge Bhuvnesh Sharma said investigators found evidence of conversations with two contacts on Radhika's mobile phone. Police also discovered that some messages had been deleted.

Officials are analysing the deleted chats and other digital evidence to determine whether they have any connection with the incident.

Family Says She Was Under Stress

According to family members, Radhika had recently passed her Class 12 examinations and was preparing for college admission.

They told police that she had appeared mentally stressed for the past three to four days, although they were unaware of any specific reason behind her distress.

Radhika belonged to a family of four siblings and was the second among them. Her father, Ramswaroop Sharma, is originally from Kaluakhedi village in Bahadurpur but has been living with the family in a rented house in Ashoknagar for the past two decades.

Investigation Continues

Police are awaiting the post-mortem report and are collecting technical evidence, including digital records, to establish the sequence of events. Investigators have said that all possible angles are being examined, and no conclusion regarding the cause of death will be drawn until the investigation is complete.

Authorities have appealed to the public not to speculate about the case while the inquiry is in progress.