Bhubaneswar: In a highly shocking incident, scientist Dr Sandip Kumar Mishra was found dead at his residence in Odisha capital, today.

Mishra, who was a senior scientist working at the Bhubaneswar-based Institute of Life Sciences (ILS), reportedly died by suicide.

His body has been sent to the Capital Hospital here for post-mortem.

Reports said a woman research scholar of the ILS had levelled sexual harassment charges against Mishra. An internal inquiry in this regard was underway.

On the other hand, Mishra had reportedly threatened the ILS Director to commit suicide.

Meanwhile, his family members said he died of cardiac arrest, not suicide.

Mishra had developed the drug 'Artemisinin' from Estrogen Related Receptor beta (ERRβ) molecule and leaves and flowers of Sweet wormwood plant (botanical name - Artemisia annua) claiming it to be successful in curing breast cancer patients.

Before joining the ILS, Dr Mishra was working as a faculty at MD Anderson Cancer Center, in Houston, Texas.