A 23-year-old student in Rajasthan’s Sikar, who appeared the last National Entrance Eligibility Test (NEET) on May 3, allegedly died by suicide on Friday, police said.
This comes days after the exam was cancelled over alleged paper leak.
Deputy superintendent of police (DSP) of Sikar circle, Sandeep Singh, said, “It is possible that the student was either depressed over his performance in the exam or was stressed ever since he got the news of that the exam was cancelled due to paper leak. However, the fact is yet to be ascertained.”
“We have not found any suicide note as of now. But we are probing whether he took the extreme step due to the cancellation of the exam. We will also question his friends and coaching staff about his behavioural change in the last few days. We have also requested his performance record from the coaching centre,” police said.
According to police, the student, a native of Jhunjhunu district, came to Sikar three years ago to prepare for NEET to secure an admission to a medical college.
“He came to Sikar with his two sisters. They were also been preparing for NEET in two different coaching centres. The three siblings also shifted to a new rented accommodation in Udhyog Nagar only a year ago. He also took admission to a new coaching centre in July last year,” Singh said.
On Friday, he allegedly died by suicide in absence of his sisters in the room, police said.
“Soon they [sisters] found the body, screamed for help. The landlord and other neighbours rushed him to a hospital where he was declared dead,” the officer added.
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Police said it was his third attempt. “Prima facie, his family members said that he was happy about the exam. His father is a daily-wage labourer in Jhunjhunu and took a huge amount of loan to make his children doctors,” police said.
The body was sent for an autopsy on Saturday.
His father who reached Sikar on Saturday said, “His test went really well. He said that he may score over 650 this time. It was his third attempt. He was really hopeful. But the exam cancellation shattered him. He got too much depressed after the news.”
He also said that his son called him on two days ago and said that he is packing his luggage and wanted to return home.
A faculty member from the victim’s coaching centre said that he was irregular in the classes. “He joined this academy in July last year. But he was very irregular. His performance in our test series was also not at par. But since the paper was easier this time. Many students hoped that they would be able to crack it. But many of them are now scared to take a re-test. It could be the same for this student too. Otherwise, He might have already been stressed since the exam day. He didn’t even come to meet us after the exam,” the staff said.
On Thursday, a 22-year-old medical student from Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur, and another 20-year-old woman from Delhi’s Azadpur allegedly died by suicide.
Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist.
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