PUNE: Depressed over the delay in conducting the final MPSC interview due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a 24-year-old Maharashtra government job aspirant allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself at his house in Pune's Hadapsar area, police said on Sunday.
Swapnil Lonkar, a civil engineering diploma holder, had cleared the 2019 Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) preliminary and main exams and was waiting for the final interview to take place.
He had also cleared the 2020 preliminary exam as well, an officer from Hadapsar police station said.
Police said Lonkar hanged himself on June 30 in his home and left behind a suicide note in which he termed the MPSC exams as a "mayajaal" and appealed not to get into it.
"He stated that a sense of negativity was creeping in as the interview was not being held and he was in danger of missing the age cut.
He also stated that the loan was taken in the hope that he would crack the exam.
He added he was depressed and that his family had a lot of expectations from him," senior inspector Balkrishna Kadam said quoting the suicide note.
Meanwhile, Lonkar's father said "apathy" by the state government was responsible for his son's death.
"My son was hopeful that he would get an appointment soon as he had cracked prelim and main exams.
He wanted to help me by reducing the burden of the loan but now he has left us, leaving us devastated.
I lost my son due to the government's overall apathy," he told reporters.
Lonkar's mother said her son had a dream to save 100 lives by donating platelets and had donated 28 times.
Rohit Pawar, NCP MLA from Karjat Jamkhed said that the depression is creeping into the young generation as MPSC exams and results are suspended due to COVID-19.
"I request the state government to conduct the exam immediately by taking all the precautions and allot all the pending appointments," he tweeted.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call AASRA's 24x7 Helpline: +91-9820466726 for assistance.)