Two separate incidents of student deaths here have once again stoked concerns regarding students' health and safety in coaching hub Kota, with the family of one of the deceased accusing hostel authorities of negligence.
A 16-year-old JEE-aspirant from Madhya Pradesh was found hanging at his paying guest accommodation on Sunday night, while another student from Bihar -- preparing for NEET -- was found unconscious in a bathroom at his hostel on Saturday night, and died during treatment on Sunday.
In the latest incident, which police termed suicide, a 16-year-old JEE aspirant from Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district was found hanging inside his room at a paying guest accommodation located in Mahaveer Nagar-I under Jawahar Nagar police station area, on Sunday night.
The victim had arrived in Kota six months ago to prepare for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), Circle Inspector Mukesh Meena said.
The deceased student appeared for a routine mock test at a coaching institute on Sunday afternoon, and after returning to his PG room, he stopped responding to calls and did not open the door to his room despite repeated knocks, Meena said.
The PG operator subsequently peered through a window and discovered the student hanging from a noose.
Police arrived at the spot after being informed, shifted the body to MBS Hospital, and informed the family.
No suicide note has been recovered from the deceased's room, and the reason behind the extreme step is yet to be ascertained, Meena said, adding that post-mortem is underway and the body would be handed over to the family after completion of formalities.
Police have registered a case under relevant sections and investigation is underway, he said.
In the second incident, a 19-year-old NEET aspirant -- Gautam Kumar from Bihar's Darbhanga -- was found unconscious in the bathroom of his hostel room in Landmark area under Kunhari police station on Sunday night.
He was shifted to MBS Hospital, where he succumbed during treatment on Sunday noon.
The deceased student had been living in Kota for nearly two years and had taken two attempts to clear the National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test (NEET), police said.
The grieving family members voiced suspicions regarding the circumstances of the death.
"Nobody here is taking responsibility -- neither the hostel nor the coaching centre.
"We do not know what happened -- whether he fell in the bathroom, accidentally consumed some poisonous substance, or something else happened to him," deceased's cousin Akhilesh told mediapersons outside the mortuary.
He alleged that the hostel authorities took no notice of the student's absence during the four meals that are served in a day, and the incident was only discovered after the family contacted another cousin, living in a nearby hostel, to check on him on Saturday night.
The family said Gautam was doing well in studies and not under any study-related stress.
Citing alleged lapses in hostel management and lack of timely intervention, the family filed a complaint alleging negligence by the hostel authorities.
Police have lodged an FIR under relevant sections, Circle Inspector Devesh Bhardwaj said.
The officer said police are yet to reach a conclusion regarding the cause of death. It would be ascertained only after an investigation and receipt of the post-mortem report, he added.
