Rajshahi University teacher Akter Jahan Joly's death was caused by a lethal cocktail of sleeping pills and hydrochloric acid (HCL), traces of which were found in her intestine as per a viscera report provided to police some days ago.
Dr Enamul Haque, a lecturer of forensic medicine department of Rajshahi Medical College who took part in the autopsy, yesterday said they detected a smell similar to that of kerosene.
She had a light burn on her upper lip while an empty bottle found in her room might have contained the acid as it gave off an irritating odour, said police, adding use of HCL in suicide is rare and they will seek its source and how it got to the room.
Joly, an associate professor of mass communication and journalism, was found dead in her Juberi Bhaban room on September 9.