A 19-year-old first-year student at Punjab Engineering College in Chandigarh died on Wednesday afternoon, leaving his classmates and friends grappling with painful memories of his final hours. The young man, a native of Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh, quietly withdrew from his class WhatsApp group of nearly sixty students earlier that day. He did not attend his scheduled class and stopped responding to repeated phone calls and text messages from concerned friends.
Months of Building Distress
For his classmates, these actions now serve as heartbreaking markers of a distress that had been accumulating for months. Friends and college authorities confirm the student had been struggling emotionally since joining the institute in September. Anxiety, homesickness, and personal grief significantly shaped his difficult first semester on campus.
Dr. Prajapati, the Dean of Student Affairs, stated that according to inputs from friends, the student was visibly unhappy. His close friends reported that signs of distress began emerging soon after he enrolled in the data sciences course. He frequently spoke about experiencing panic attacks and episodes of acute anxiety.
"Sometimes he would feel completely overwhelmed and restless," one close friend revealed. "He wanted to talk about these feelings with his family too."
Personal Loss and Internal Struggle
The student was also coping with a significant personal loss. His grandmother had passed away a few months earlier, a bereavement that deeply affected him. Friends noted he was particularly close to his 'naani' and often expressed sadness about her death.
Despite his internal struggles, he maintained an appearance of engagement in college life. He remained active in the class WhatsApp group, posting routine messages and updates. While he never openly expressed thoughts of self-harm, he consistently spoke about feeling anxious and unsettled.
In hindsight, his social media activity revealed an ongoing internal battle. Friends recall him frequently sharing Instagram reels related to mental health topics, antidepressants, and emotional exhaustion. On one such reel, he wrote, "This is my antidepressant." He also shared content expressing nostalgia for periods when he felt mentally at ease and free from anxiety.
Attempts to Seek Help
His classmates confirm he actively sought professional assistance. He approached the college counselor and later visited PGIMER for mental health support. "He was genuinely trying to get help and understand what was happening to him," explained a close friend. "But he kept repeating that he wasn't happy being so far away from home."
The Breaking Point During Examinations
The full extent of his distress became unmistakably visible during the December end-term examinations held from December 8th to 20th. He appeared for his first paper but broke down during the exam. He started crying and left the examination hall before even completing half of the three-hour paper, leaving his answer sheet completely blank.
He did not appear for any of his remaining examination papers. On December 22nd, he left the campus and returned to his hometown. During the semester break, he posted photographs from a visit to Banaras. Friends initially interpreted this as a positive attempt to regain emotional balance and find some peace.
The Final Day of Withdrawal
On the day of the tragic incident, friends describe his withdrawal as sudden and completely uncharacteristic. After leaving the class WhatsApp group, he stopped answering calls. He did not reply to messages from close friends, even though the texts were marked as seen. The student was residing at Shivalik Hostel on campus at the time.
Hostel authorities reported he was taken to the hospital after an emergency was declared. However, friends emphasize that the focus should not remain solely on the incident itself. They urge attention toward the prolonged distress that went largely unnoticed and the systemic support gaps it reveals.
This tragic loss underscores the critical need for enhanced mental health awareness, accessible counseling services, and stronger support networks within educational institutions. It highlights the silent struggles many students face while adapting to new academic and personal environments far from home.
