NE NEWS SERVICE
MADURAI, SEP 12
A day ahead of the National cum Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) for the current year, a Madurai-based MBBS aspirant ended her life in the early hours of Saturday. She became the second victim from Tamil Nadu within a week to die by suicide out of fear and anxiety towards the test.
According to Police, M. Jothi Durga, 19, daughter of Sub-Inspector of Police Murugasundaram was found hanging from the ceiling in her bedroom at her residence in the Armed Reserve Police Quarters.
This is the second such suicide over NEET in the state during this week. The girl was seen studying till 1 am and went to bed, but she was found hanging in her bedroom this morning, police sources said.
Preliminary inquiries revealed that the girl was anxious for quite some time expecting an extension of the date of the exam, which is scheduled to take place on Sunday. The girl appeared NEET last year, but she was not got through. The girl took the extreme step as she was scared of the test. The body was taken to the Government Rajaji General Hospital for post mortem.
Durga left behind a suicide note.”To everyone, it is not your fault. Don’t blame yourself and anyone. I love you all….. You all had a lot of expectations from me. I am sorry. If I don’t secure a medical seat, all your hard work for me will go in vain. I’m sorry. I am tired…,” she said in an elaborate letter.
Speaking in an emotion-laden voice in her visually pitch-dark, chilling video farewell, bidding goodbye to her family and also revealing the reason for her decision, she said, “I did prepare well, but I’m scared. Please do not blame anyone… I’m sorry.. Appa, Amma. Thatha (father, mother and grandfather).”
Durga also addressed her siblings in the four-page letter, saying was scared of disappointing herself and others in the event of failing to pass the exam. “I really studied well but I’m afraid if I can’t able to get the medical seat I will disappoint everyone. I am sorry…”
Durga’s father said she had been preparing for NEET for a year, having completed her class 12 in 2019.
Just a few days ago, V Vignesh from Ariyalur had died by suicide reportedly due to similar reasons.
NEET had turned into a festering social issue in Tamil Nadu on the back of the suicide of Anitha three years ago. A student with solid performance in Std 12, Anitha was not able to crack the NEET; she had moved the Supreme Court challenging the exam. Her death had sent shockwaves across the state and firmly established an anti-NEET sentiment in Tamil Nadu.
While expressing his shock over the death of an Ariyalur student, Chief Minister Edappadi Palanisamy said children taking such wrong decisions to cause anguish to him.
“There are countless ways to succeed in life, success is guaranteed when the students have determination and perseverance to confront anything,’’ said the Chief Minister.
Meanwhile, leaders of various political parties, including the principal opposition party DMK condemned and demanded to scrap NEET.
The DMK had been consistent in raking up the issue. In a statement on Saturday, party president MK Stalin said the fact that the NEET exam has been disrupting the balance of the student community has been borne out by the suicides — from Anitha to Durga.
