The emotionally distraught father of Akanksha Chaturvedi, an 18-year-old aspiring doctor who died by suicide at her Nagpur residence on May 20 following the NEET-UG paper leak controversy, has demanded capital punishment for those responsible for his daughter's death. 'Hang the people behind my daughter's death. I saw her in her last moments. If you can't hang them, then return my daughter,' a sobbing Krishna Kumar told The Times of India on a phone call on Sunday. The family is back in Nagpur after cremating Akanksha at their native place in Mauganj district in Madhya Pradesh.
Father's Plea Against Systemic Failures
Expressing his feelings on behalf of parents who lose their children due to 'exam-related stress and systemic failures', Krishna Kumar said, 'No parents should sob like me. No parents should have to endure the pain I am going through. No parents should lose their child like me. Stop playing around with the lives of the children. Stop playing with the lives of students.' He urged authorities to ensure that no more students suffer such tragedies.
Political Leaders Express Solidarity
On Sunday, Nagpur City Congress president Prafulla Gudadhe visited the grieving Chaturvedi family at their Ajay Nagar residence. Gudadhe, while expressing solidarity with the family, said, 'Akanksha was living with her father in Nagpur and preparing for NEET. She was under immense mental stress due to the paper leak and unfortunately ended her life.' Gudadhe also mentioned that Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has personally spoken with Akanksha's parents over the phone to console them. Congress functionaries assured the family of support.
The Tragic Sequence of Events
Akanksha had moved to Nagpur with her father Krishnakumar for NEET coaching. She appeared for the NEET-UG on May 3 and was confident of scoring over 650 marks. However, the cancellation of the exam following paper leak allegations shattered her. The announcement of a re-examination pushed her into despair. In her suicide note, she wrote: 'Sorry Mummy-Papa... I performed well in my first NEET examination, but there is no guarantee that I will be able to do it again. I no longer have the courage to take the re-examination. I have already damaged a lot.'
Financial Hardships Added to Stress
The family's financial hardships likely compounded Akanksha's stress. Krishnakumar, a small farmer and cook who runs a modest catering business in Nagpur, took a bank loan of Rs 3 lakh and borrowed from relatives, accumulating nearly Rs 15 lakh in debt. The family pinned their hopes on Akanksha becoming a doctor to overcome the financial distress. The burden of expectation and uncertainty about the future took a heavy toll on the young aspirant.
National Outcry and Calls for Reform
Gandhi's intervention and tweets by other leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal, amplified the family's plight on social media. The suicide also intensified debates on examination reforms, accountability for paper leaks, and mental health support for aspirants. Many are calling for stricter measures to prevent such tragedies and ensure a fair and stress-free examination system.
