"She Was Depressed": Cousin Of 19-Year-Old NEET Aspirant Who Died By Suicide

She scored 166 marks in the medical entrance test -- National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) - just 11 short of the cut-off. Dejected by the result and consumed by the feeling of failing her family, she died by suicide. She was Ankita Sangle, a resident of Jalalpur village in Maharashtra's Ahilyanagar district.

Ankita was found hanging in her room at around 4:30 pm on Saturday. Police found a handwritten suicide note in Marathi in which she asked her brother to take care of their parents.

Speaking exclusively to NDTV, Paresh Jadhav, Ankita's cousin, said his sister was depressed following the NEET results.

"She had prepared well for NEET and was expecting a good result. However, her low marks in NEET pushed her into depression," said Jadhav.

Jadhav was not at home at the time of the incident. He, along with his father, had gone to Pandharpur, a popular pilgrimage town, for Ashadhi Ekadashi darshan. Ankita's mother, a tailor by profession, was at home with her, but did not suspect anything.

In a message to NEET aspirants, Jadhav urged students not to end their lives over exam pressures and reminded them that they can always pursue alternative career paths.

"Don't think of this as an end," said Jadhav. "You can try again and always appear for other exams."

The grieving brother demanded that the government take strict action against those responsible for the NEET paper leak and provide adequate compensation.

A handwritten suicide note, written in Marathi, was recovered from Ankita's room. The note reflected her feelings of distress and dejection. "You gave me so much love, but I couldn't fulfil even one of your wishes. Mom, you supported me like a friend in every difficulty. Dada (brother), you also supported me a lot. You loved me even more than Mom and Dad. You are not responsible for my suicide."

The 19-year-old acknowledged her family's sacrifices.

"Even when I was studying for NEET, you sacrificed everything for me, and I failed, unable to fulfil your wishes," she said.

She urged her brother to take care of their parents.

"Brother, please take good care of Mom and Dad. Don't let them lack anything," she wrote in the note.

Police have registered an accidental death case.

(With inputs from Prasad Shinde)