Jharkhand shooting champion Konica Layak dies by suicide in Bengal

Konica Layak, Jharkhand’s 10-metre air rifle state champion of 2020, was found hanging inside a women’s hostel at Bally in Howrah district on Wednesday morning.28-year-old Layak -- who became famous after actor-turned philanthropist Sonu Sood gave her a new rifle for training earlier this year -- left a suicide note in which she wrote about failing to fulfill her parents’ dreams, an officer from the Bally police station said on condition of anonymity. Layak, who was training under Olympian and Arjuna Awardee Joydeep Karmakar. According to the cops, Layak skipped dinner on Wednesday and was unresponsive when called. She also didn’t open her door after several knocks.

“They called us when she was not responding to calls or knocks on the door. We broke open the door to find her hanging,” said an officer of Howrah city police. Police said the one-page written note on hindi read she failed to meet the expectations of her parents and was dissatisfied with her recent performances. Layak is the fourth shooter to die of suicide in as many months. Mohali resident Namanveer Singh Brar, a bronze medal-winner at the World University Games, killed himself in September. In October, state-level shooter Hunardeep Singh Sohal ended his life after an injury affected his career. Pistol shooter Khushseerat Kaur Sandhu, who made her India debut at the Junior World Championships in Lima in October, killed herself.