Srirangapatna: A Ph.D student committed suicide by jumping into Cauvery River, near Venugoplaswamy Temple at Hosa Kannambadi village in KRS Backwaters on Saturday.

The deceased has been identified as Prasad (32), a native of Doddinduvadi village in Kollegal taluk, who was pursuing his Ph.D in History at Mysore University. It is learnt that Prasad’s mother had passed away two years ago and he was depressed since then.

On Saturday evening, Prasad had come to Venugopalaswamy Temple and his friend who called him over the mobile phone, enquired his whereabouts during which Prasad is said to have told him that he would come back in the evening and later his (Prasad) mobile phone was switched off, following which his friends informed the KRS Police.

KRS Police, who launched a search for Prasad, found his bike and slippers. The Cops then summoned expert swimmers and divers, who searched for the body but in vain.

On Monday morning, Prasad’s body was traced and only after the family members and relatives identified the body and lodged a complaint, a casewas registered.

The body was shifted to MMC&RI mortuary in Mysuru, where post-mortem was conducted and the body was handed over to the family members.