MADURAI/DHARMAPURI/NAMAKKAL: Three youngsters who were preparing to write the common medical entrance test NEET have died by suicide on the eve of exam, triggering shock and outrage across the State. The deceased have been identified as Jothi Sri Durga (19) of Madurai, M Adithya (20) of Dharmapuri, and M Mothilal (21) of Namakkal. While Durga left behind a note attributing her death to exam fear, officials are probing if the reason is the same in the case of the other two students.
Durga was found dead by her parents on Saturday morning. “She seemed normal on Friday night, when she returned to her room for studies after dinner. In the morning, we found that our bedroom door was locked from the outside. After much struggle, we came out and found our daughter dead,” says the girl’s father Murugasundaram, who works as a sub-inspector.
Durga has left behind a letter and an audio clip. “I have prepared well but what if I fail? I may not fail but what if I do not get a seat?” the teenager is heard asking in the audio clip. “You expect a lot from me. I fear I will disappoint you,” were her final words to her parents. Mentioned multiple times in her letter was the phrase: “I am tired.” In the second case, M Adithya, a 20-year-old aspirant from Dharmapuri was found dead at his home on Saturday evening. Adithya, who was taking the test for a second time, had attended private coaching in Bengaluru. His mother claims he had performed well in the mock test conducted by his coaching centre.
Late in the evening, Mothilal, a 21-year-old aspirant, appearing for NEET for the third time, was found dead in his room in Tiruchengode area of Namakkal. On Saturday night, the boy went to his room. When he did not come out for a while, the parents panicked and broke open the door to find that the boy had committed suicide. “We are yet to confirm whether the boy committed suicide due to NEET exam fear. The exact details will be known only after police investigation,” said the Collector.
‘Heart-breaking’, says CM
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami expressed condolences to the bereaved family on Saturday. He said, “It is heart-breaking to see students take such extreme steps. There are countless ways to succeed in life.”