Man ends life day after son kills self over NEET result; TN CM says exam can be done away with

CHENNAI: A man in Chennai ended his life by hanging a day after his 19-year-old son died by suicide after failing to clear the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) twice, police said on Monday.

According to officials, the deceased S Jegadeeswaran (19) was an aspirant, and hanged himself a day earlier after having flunked the NEET examination twice. When his father, identified as Selvasekar, returned home he was shocked to find his son hanging at his residence.

“After he failed in NEET exam twice, we admitted him again in a coaching institute for repeating the exam. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said in his manifesto that he would save children’s lives and cancel the NEET exam but yet, they did not ban this exam. I am a single parent; nobody should face this situation. The CM should take immediate steps”, Selvasekar had said on Sunday.

Unable to deal with the grief over his son’s death, Selvasekar hanged himself at his residence on Monday, the police said. The body has been taken for post-mortem examination, and police were further looking into the incident.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday assured that NEET can be done away with amid rising number of cases of suicides by students. CM Stalin also urged the students to avoid suicidal thoughts.

“Have confidence, do not have suicidal thoughts. Do not think of losing your life in any situation. Definitely, we can remove NEET which proves to be an obstacle to your goals. The Tamil Nadu government is working vigorously towards that”, CM said in a statement.

“I was shocked after knowing that Jegadeeswaran from Chrompet, who was a NEET aspirant, committed suicide. When I was thinking how to console the student’s parents, the next day, his father Selvasekar also died by suicide. I do not know how to console the Jegadeeswaran’s family, friends and relatives”, CM Stalin said. “Condolences to the death of S Jegadeeswaran and his father Selvasekar”, he added. (ANI)