Engineering student fails exam, ends life

When Meena Gandhi’s son, Rahul, called her on Thursday afternoon to tell her he had failed in three subjects at the engineering college, she told him to calm down and look forward to the next term.

When Meena Gandhi’s son, Rahul, called her on Thursday afternoon to tell her he had failed in three subjects at the engineering college, she told him to calm down and look forward to the next term.

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Later that evening when Meena, a railway employee, returned home from work, she saw her 23-year-old son hanging from the ceiling of their house in Prem Nagar, Borivli.

Rahul, a student of third year mechanical engineering at Vartak College in Vasai, allegedly committed suicide because he was upset about his results and worried about his future.

Rahul learnt that he had failed in three of subjects when he checked his results online. Senior Police Inspector, Bhagwan Chate, said: “He was found hanging from the ceiling with a dupatta.” He did not leave a suicide note.

“He [Rahul] called his mother to inform her about his result. She asked him to calm down and work towards his next exams,” said one of the investigating officers from Borivli police station.

“I was shocked to see him hanging when I reached home half an hour later,” said Meena. The police said Rahul also called his younger brother, Harsh (21), a student of Thakur Polytechnic, Kandivli.

Harsh was studying in the college library. “I consoled him and told him I will see him at home in the evening,” said Harsh.

As news of Rahul’s death spread, his friends and college mates rushed to his house. “He was very cheerful and friendly,” said Amarjeet Kumar, a classmate. “We never thought a positive person like him could take such a drastic step.”

The police are recording the statements of Rahul’s parents, brother and friends, said Bhagwan.