The victim in the recent Kota suicide case is identified as Sumit Panchal from Rohtak, Haryana
A 20-year-old student, who was studying for the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET), took his own life in Rajasthan’s Kota district late on Sunday, according to police. This brings the total number of suicide cases in Kota this year to eight.
Who is Sumit Panchal of Rohtak, Haryana as NEET student committed suicide in Kota, death reason, biography and age
Sumit Panchal, a 20-year-old NEET aspirant, was found hanging in his Kota hostel and his parents suspect foul play, demanding a murder investigation.
On March 28, a 19-year-old student preparing for the NEET allegedly hung herself in her paying guest (PG) room in Kota. Another student aged 20, was discovered deceased in his PG accommodation. Last year, 27 students who were preparing for different competitive exams ended their lives in the area.
20 year old Sumit was residing in a hostel in the Kunhadi Landmark City, Kota. He was preparing for the NEET exam by taking private coaching classes.
Kunhadi station house officer (SHO) Arvind Bharadwaj revealed that Sumit who hailed from Rohtak, Haryana, was discovered hanging from the ceiling fan in his hostel room on Sunday. The situation became apparent when he didn’t respond to his doorbell all day, and his parents alerted the warden that they couldn’t reach him. The warden then contacted the police and attempted to check on him, but the door was locked from inside.
The deceased, Sumit Panchal, hailed from Haryana's Rohtak and had been preparing for NEET at a coaching institute here for over a year, the police said.#Kota #NEET #Suicide https://t.co/WWaA7VDW4m
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Despite numerous attempts to get a response, there was none. Consequently, the police forced open the door and discovered him hanging from the ceiling fan. The body has been sent for examination. A Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team has been summoned.
Bharadwaj mentioned that an investigation into the hostel authority will begin once the police file a report regarding the breach of guidelines. Following a rise in student suicides last year, the district administration took action on August 18 by issuing a directive for all hostels and paying guest (PG) accommodations to install spring-loaded fans in rooms. This measure aimed to provide mental support and security to students. However, it’s important to note that this guideline does not apply to apartments.
On demand of the deceased’s parents, a medical board is being constituted to perform the autopsy with no suicide note found and his parents suspected Panchal was murdered, citing that the injury on his neck from the rope was extremely deep.
Panchal was supposed to take the NEET-UG exam next month, the police said. He allegedly hanged himself in the day but his body was found at 9:30pm after which he was shifted to the MBS Hospital.
Kota serves as the epicenter of India’s test-preparation industry, with an estimated annual value of ₹10,000 crore. Large numbers of students from across the country come here after completing Class X to enrol in residential test-preparation institutes. Additionally, many students also enrol in schools, most of which are primarily focused on certification purposes.
According to police records, there were 15 student suicides in Kota in 2022, 18 in 2019, 20 in 2018, seven in 2017, 17 in 2016, and 18 in 2015. No suicides were reported in 2020 and 2021 due to the closure or transition to online mode of coaching institutes amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
On September 28, the Rajasthan government introduced several measures to tackle student suicides, including a compulsory screening test and sorting students alphabetically rather than by rank. Additionally, students from Class IX and above would be eligible for admission.
Furthermore, the guidelines advised mandatory training for teachers, institute managers, staff, and hostel wardens to help them recognize changes in student behaviour and implement preventive measures. The government also cautioned coaching institute faculty about legal consequences for any violations.
On January 16, the Union education minister issued specific directives for coaching centres, limiting enrolment to students under 16 years old. The directive also outlined penalties of up to ₹1,00,000 for institutes found breaching the terms and conditions.