Exam fear drives Dharavi teenager to suicide

A 16-year-old girl, who was a first year junior college student, hanged herself from the ceiling fan at her Dharavi residence on Thursday morning.

A 16-year-old girl, who was a first year junior college student, hanged herself from the ceiling fan at her Dharavi residence on Thursday morning.

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The police suspect that Anita Nadar, who was an academically poor student, was stressed about her upcoming exams.

Nadar hanged herself using a sari between 10.30am and 11am when she was alone at home, said the Dharavi police.

The incident came to light when Anita’s mother, who had gone to the market, returned home. While Nadar did not leave behind any suicide note, her father told the police that she was immensely worried about her upcoming exams.

Sub-inspector of Dharavi police station B Waghmode said: “Nadar had initially failed in her Class 10 exams and was not good at academics. She was scared she might lose one more year of her studies.” Her parents told the police that Nadar, a student of Aryan college at Sion, would spend most of the day watching television and was not preparing for her exams.

The police have sent Nadar’s body for autopsy to Sion Hospital, after which the body will be handed over to the family. Nadar is survived by her father, who is a driver by profession, her mother and a younger brother.

The Dharavi police have taken an accidental death report and said they do not suspect any foul play in the case.