JEE aspirant in Kota dies by suicide; 16th suicide since January

KOTA: An 18-year-old student, who was preparing for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) allegedly committed suicide by jumping from the sixth floor of his hostel here, police said on Saturday. No suicide note was recovered from his room and the reason for the suicide is yet to be ascertained, they said.

According to police, Vivek Kumar, a resident of Annupur in Madhya Pradesh, had been preparing for JEE at a coaching institute here since April. He lived in a hostel room in Rajiv Gandhi Nagar in Jawahar Nagar area, the police said.

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Student died during the treatment, says police

Deputy Superintendent of Police Yogesh Sharma told PTI that the boy allegedly jumped from the sixth floor around midnight. Vivek was taken to a hospital where he died during treatment, Sharma said. The safety net installed on the balcony of the boy's room had holes and was found nicked, suggesting it might have been tampered with for the jump, the DSP said.

A forensic team was sent to the spot to collect evidence and examine the circumstances surrounding the reason of death, he added. However it is yet to be determined if the safety net was already damaged or was intentionally tampered with for the jump, the DSP further said.

The body's postmortem will be conducted after the parent's arrive, he said, adding that a case will be registered based on their statements. This is the 16th suicide by a coaching student in Kota this year since January, while last year, the city reported 26 such cases.

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.