Financial crisis drives LSR student to suicide in Telangana
In a tragic incident, a 19-year-old BSc Mathematics (Honours) student in Telangana hanged herself to death due to financial crisis her family was dealing with. According to a report with India Today, the deceased was a student of Delhi’s Lady Shri Ram College for Women and wanted to become an IAS officer. The incident dates back to November 2, when the student, identified as Aishwarya Reddy, died by suicide and left behind a purported suicide note in which she cited financial difficulties.
Commenting on the incident, the police said Aishwarya had come to her home after a nationwide lockdown was announced in March, due to the coronavirus outbreak.
In her suicide note, she wrote “No one is responsible for my death. I don't want to become a burden on the family. I can't live without studying, I was thinking about it and this [death] is the only way left for me."
A statement by Aishwarya's father (an auto mechanic by profession) revealed he had taken a loan of Rs 2 lakh after mortgaging their home and pledged gold ornaments for her higher education, which further added to the family’s financial crisis.
Owing to their family financial crisis, Aishwarya’s sister had to drop out of school.
Aishwarya had been a Class 12 examination topper and had secured a seat in a Delhi college based on merit. She was a recipient of the government’s ‘Inspire’ scholarship, offered by the Ministry of Science and Technology, but wasn’t sure if she would receive the full amount, her family alleged.
Aishwarya was depressed after she was asked to vacate her college in Delhi, at a time when she was trying to get a laptop for her online studies.
Meanwhile, in the absence of a laptop, she was attending online classes using her mobile phone.
Her family said she was ’provisionally selected’ for Inspire scholarship in August and was asked to complete the documentation before the end of this year.
