Second Student Suicide in Gujarat Within a Week Shocks Educational Community
In a tragic incident that has sent shockwaves through the academic circles of Gujarat, a 21-year-old student from LD Arts College was discovered deceased in a guest house on the Gujarat University campus in Ahmedabad on Friday evening. This marks the second case of student suicide reported in the state within a single week, raising urgent concerns about mental health and student welfare.
Details of the Incident
The student, identified as Maheshwari Khachar, was found hanging from a window grille in her room at the guest house, which is situated opposite the NRI hostel. According to Gujarat University police inspector Shilpa Bava, the incident came to light around 6 PM when other students and university staff alerted authorities. Police rushed to the scene immediately upon receiving the call.
Khachar, a final semester student hailing from Botad and residing in the Ranip area as a paying guest, was staying at the guest house as an attendee of the National Service Scheme (NSS) camp being held at the university. She had moved into the accommodation for a month along with a friend to participate in the ongoing NSS activities.
Investigation and Background
Police have filed a case of accidental death and are actively questioning friends and classmates to uncover the circumstances that led to this heartbreaking event. A preliminary examination of her mobile phone has not revealed any messages or chats indicating a reason behind the suicide, and no note was found at the scene. A forensics team has collected evidence to aid in the investigation.
An active NCC volunteer, Khachar had recently been appointed as a senior volunteer in recognition of her dedicated work. On the day of the incident, she attended university programs in the morning and was scheduled to go to the airport in the evening as part of an NSS assignment to receive guests arriving from Kolkata.
Sequence of Events Leading to the Discovery
Khachar left the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Hall on the university campus around 3:30 PM. When she failed to report for her evening assignment, a professor asked another student to call her. The student went to her room and found her hanging, immediately reporting the matter to other students and faculty members. Police and the 108 EMRI services were informed promptly, but Khachar was declared dead at the spot.
Context of Recent Student Suicides
This incident follows another tragic case earlier in the week. On Monday, a first-year nursing student in Nadiad hanged himself after being accused of body-shaming a professor. The back-to-back suicides highlight a growing crisis in student mental health across Gujarat, prompting calls for enhanced support systems and intervention strategies within educational institutions.
Authorities continue to investigate both cases, emphasizing the need for a thorough understanding of the factors contributing to such devastating outcomes among young students.
