Kota: JEE aspirant dies after falling from 9th floor; police say likely suicide

KOTA: In the case of a 17-year-old JEE aspirant passing away after falling off the ninth floor of a building in Kota, the police on Saturday said prima facie it appears to be a suicide. The deceased student, identified as Ishan Paliwal (17), a resident of Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, had been preparing for JEE-Mains in Kota for two years and was living with his mother in a multi-storey building in Rajiv Gandhi Nagar.

The teenager fell from the balcony of the ninth floor on Friday afternoon. He sustained severe head injuries and was rushed to a private hospital; however, he died shortly during treatment. After a post-mortem examination on Saturday, his body was released to his family.

An FIR was then registered regarding the incident. "There is little possibility of the student falling off the balcony of the building accidentally. He most likely jumped. However, the reason behind it is yet to be ascertained through an investigation, as his family members, who were in a state of shock, were not able to speak," Circle Inspector Jawahar Nagar police station, Ram Laxman, said.

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The CI noted that prima facie the student most likely jumped, adding that there was no suicide note recovered. He further informed that the boy's mobile phone, which was charging at the time of the incident, has been recovered for examination.

"The spot where the student fell on the ground is beyond the coverage of CCTV cameras installed in the building campus," the CI said, adding that the footage is being examined.

The teen's father, accompanied by a few other family members, arrived at Kota on Friday night, and the police handed over the body to them after post-mortem examinations, police said. Meanwhile, the father and other family members refused to speak to the media and have not levelled any allegations yet.

If you know someone – friend or family member – at risk of suicide, please reach out to them. Those in distress or having suicidal thoughts or tendencies could seek help and counselling by calling 9820466726 or visiting AASRA’s official website or can call iCALL on 9152987821. Here are some more helpline numbers of suicide prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.