A 21-year-old sailor from the Indian Navy was found dead with bullet injuries on board the INS Rana in Visakhapatnam on Thursday.

While initial reports pegged it as a 'mysterious' death, some are saying that the sailor, identified as Vikash Yadav, may have committed suicide.

According to reports, other crew mates on the ship heard the gun shot. Vikash was immediately rushed to INHS Kalyani, which is a naval hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.

Speaking to PTI, a spokesman of the Eastern Naval Command said, "Vikash, an electrical mechanic of power class 1, sustained a bullet injury while on duty as security sentry in the early hours today (Thursday). He was immediately shifted to the navy hospital where he was declared brought dead,"

The spokesperson also said that a Board of Inquiry was being constituted, to investigate the death.

Quoting sources, TNIE reported that Vikash was unmarried, and hailed from Bhind in Madhya Pradesh.

His family has been informed of the incident, and a case has been reportedly registered with the Malkapuram police.

Further details are awaited.

Less than two weeks ago, Gudeppa Sooraj, a 26-year-old cadet was found dead after he fell from a building on the campus of the Indian Naval Academy (INA) in Kerala.

Sooraj, who was doing his first term course at the INA, was allegedly harassed by his fellow cadets, the police said, after finding a suicide note. 

Sooraj's family alleged that it was a 'murder', and not a suicide.

The police have booked a case of abetment to suicide against two senior cadets, who were said to be named by Sooraj.