There seems to be no end to student suicides in the coaching hub of Kota in Rajasthan. A NEET student from Uttar Pradesh’s Maharajganj district committed suicide by hanging himself in his room in a shocking episode which transpired on 27 September. The deceased has been identified as 20-year-old Mohammad Tanvir Khan. Notably, his father is also a teacher in Kota.
The incident took place in the Kunhadi police station area of Kota. The body was taken into custody and sent for post-mortem. The reason behind the extreme measure is being investigated by the authorities.
The victim was reportedly staying in a rented house in Krishna Vihar with his father and sister in Kunhadi neighbourhood. He was living in the city for the last 12 months and was studying for the prestigious national medical exam after completing 12th grade.
His father, Mohammad Hussain, taught class 11 and 12 students at a coaching facility in Kota. However, the youngster used to do self-study and was not admitted to any coaching institution.
Circle Inspector Meena stated that his sister was present at home during the suicide. He told his sister that he was changing his clothes before entering the room on the fateful night. The sister got suspicious when he did not come out for a long time. He was discovered hanging from a noose after the door of the room was forced open. She immediately informed the father who rushed to their place and informed the police.
A probe into the incident has been initiated by the local police. The official mentioned that the suicide took place on the afternoon of September 27. The student was brought to the hospital by his father where doctors pronounced him dead. The dead body was then subjected to autopsy before it was handed over to the family who left for Maharajganj along with it. The cop conveyed that the victim was ill and undergoing treatment.
Notably, more than 25 students have ended their lives in Kota this year and at least 9 students have embraced death in the last 2 months. A 17-year-old student from Mau, Uttar Pradesh killed herself on 18 September in Kota by ingesting pesticide. She came out of her coaching establishment vomiting and was rushed to hospital where she passed away during treatment.
The alarming increase in suicide cases over the past few months has alarmed the local authorities and prompted them to take action. They have ordered coaching institutions to stop holding exams for a two-month period and mandated that anti-hanging mechanisms be installed in ceiling fans.
Furthermore, the Kota police are attempting to recruit hostel staff members including wardens, mess employees and tiffin suppliers to look for any indications of stress or depression among the students residing in hostels and as paying guests.
The district administration has created a quiz for pupils to determine whether they are experiencing depression. The results of this test would determine how many of them suffered from depression, anxiety and stress.
