Stressed over exams, UPSC aspirant kills self in Mumbai hostel room

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A civil service aspirant allegedly committed suicide in his room on Tuesday at the Government Colleges Hostel (GCH) for boys in Churchgate, South Mumbai. The victim identified as 25-year-old Krishna Kothambire, was found hanging from a rope in his room by his roommates, who had returned from dinner around 9 pm. A suicide note was also recovered from the room. In the suicide note, the UPSC aspirant apologised to his parents, relatives and friends for taking such a drastic step.

Krishna Kothambire was originally a native of Paithan, Aurangabad and an engineering graduate. He had taken admission in State Institute of Administrative Career (SIAC) at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CST), barely a month ago. He always spoke to his friends about wanting to clear the examination anyhow this year.

"He used to say that he has to clear the exams this year. But then that's what everyone preparing for the civil service examination keeps talking about. We never realised that he was so stressed," said a student from the same hostel. The student added that Krishna may have cut himself with a blade before hanging himself as his friends found blood stains besides his bed.

Another resident from the hostel said that Krishna had returned to the hostel around 7-8 pm in the evening. He was alone in the room and the lights were switched off as everyone else had gone for dinner. When his roommates returned, they saw that the lights were switched on and knocked on the door. After getting no response, the students realised that something was amiss and one of the boys peeped inside the room from an adjacent room's window and saw Krishna's body hanging.

All the boys from the hostel gathered and broke the door open but it was too late. The warden was informed and then the police soon arrived at the hostel. Krishna was staying on the fifth floor where another aspirant of the hostel had allegedly committed suicide in 2015.

Also Read: Mumbai: 14-year-old commits suicide in Kandivli after failing Class X prelims

Dr. Manoj Bhide, head of the SIAC, said, "He had taken admission in the institute last month." According to few other residents in the same hostel, Krishna had been preparing for the UPSC exams for the past few years. After completing his engineering he stayed in Pune for a few years and had just shifted. The Marine Drive police have filed an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and are probing the case further. Abhishek Trimukhe, DCP (Zone 1) confirmed the suicide. He said that the boy was found hanging from the rope and a suicide note was also found beside him. His body has was taken to GT Hospital for a post mortem.

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