Top Court Grills Rajasthan Over Kota Suicides

The Supreme Court on Friday grilled the Rajasthan government over the surge in student suicides in the city of Kota, calling the situation "serious".

A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan said 14 suicide cases were reported from the city so far this year. "What are you doing as a state? Why are these children dying by suicide and only in Kota? Have you not given a thought as a state?" Justice Pardiwala asked the counsel representing state of Rajasthan.

The counsel said a special investigation team (SIT) was formed in the state to examine cases of suicides.

The top court was hearing a matter over the death of a 22-year-old student studying in IIT, Kharagpur. The student was found hanging in his hostel room on May 4. It was also dealing with another case of a girl, who was a NEET aspirant and was found hanging in her room in Kota where she lived with her parents.

Earlier this month, the top court had sought FIR details in connection with the two suicides to confirm whether cases had been registered. “How many young students have died in Kota so far? Why are these students dying?," the court asked on Friday.

The bench also summoned a police official from Kota to appear before it on July 14 to explain why no FIR had been filed in the mentioned case. "Why was there a four-day delay in lodging the FIR? These are very serious things. Don’t take this lightly," the top court warned the authorities.

"We can take a very strict view on the matter maybe even contempt, but we are refraining from saying anything further at this stage," the court affirmed.