In yet another devastating incident, a final-year BTech student, identified as Noor Mohammed, allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan in his paying guest room in Kota’s Vigyan Nagar area. The incident occurred sometime on Wednesday, but the grim discovery was made on Thursday night.

The 27-year-old student, a native of Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda, was pursuing a BTech degree from SRM University, Chennai, and had been residing as a paying guest in Kota. According to DSP (Vigyan Nagar) Dharmveer Singh, Mohammed had studied in coaching institutes in Kota from 2016 to 2019 to prepare for entrance exams. After gaining admission to SRM University, he continued taking online classes from his Kota paying guest accommodation.

No suicide note was found at the scene, raising questions about the circumstances leading to his tragic decision. The police were alerted to the incident when a mess boy noticed an untouched tiffin box outside Mohammed’s room on Thursday evening and promptly informed the paying guest owner.

This marks the third suicide reported in Kota within the span of two weeks. The recent spate of tragedies includes the death of an 18-year-old aspiring JEE candidate, Niharika Singh, on January 29, who left behind a heartbreaking note apologizing to her parents. On January 23, 19-year-old Mohammed Zaid, preparing for the medical entrance exam NEET, was found hanging in his hostel room.

In response to the rising number of suicides, authorities in Kota are grappling with the urgent need to address the mental health and well-being of students who migrate to the city from across the country to prepare for competitive exams. Last year alone, 26 students reportedly took their own lives in Kota, amplifying concerns about the immense pressure faced by students striving for success in exams like the National Entrance Exam (JEE).