A 17-year-old Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) aspirant from Uttar Pradesh, who was preparing in Kota, was found hanging in his hostel room in the Rajiv Gandhi Nagar area under Jawahar Nagar police station late Wednesday night. This incident marks the sixth death by suicide of a coaching student in Kota since January this year.
Details of the Incident
The deceased was identified as Aryan Ojha, a resident of Sant Kabir Nagar in Uttar Pradesh. He had been preparing for the JEE at a coaching institute in Kota for the past year and was residing in a hostel room in Rajiv Gandhi Nagar. According to police, the ceiling fan in the room was equipped with an anti-hanging device, so the teenager chose to end his life by hanging from an angle in the room.
Police Investigation
Circle Inspector Ramlaxman of Jawahar Nagar police station stated that the teen did not attend coaching classes on Wednesday and did not come out of his room until late at night. He also did not respond to calls, prompting other students in the hostel to break open the door, where they found him hanging. The police were informed around 10:45 PM, and the teen was rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.
No suicide note was recovered from the room, and the reason behind the extreme step has yet to be ascertained through investigation. The police have registered a case under the relevant section as per the directions of the Supreme Court and have handed over the body to the family after post-mortem.
Family's Response
The family members, who arrived to claim the body on Thursday afternoon, avoided speaking to the media and did not level any allegations in the report to the police. The police officer added that the family did not point out any reason behind the incident.
Context and Concerns
This tragic event adds to a growing list of student suicides in Kota, a city known for its coaching hubs for competitive exams like JEE and NEET. The pressure of rigorous preparation and the high expectations often take a toll on students' mental health. Authorities and coaching institutes are being urged to implement better counseling and support systems to prevent such incidents.
