Chaos erupted at Delhi’s Uttam Nagar East metro station when a distressed 17-year-old leaped to his death in front of an oncoming train, prompting a police probe into the rising tide of student suicides. The event on Friday has ignited debates on mental health infrastructure in high-pressure academic environments.
At around 11:07 AM, Ashwini Dagar from Najafgarh vaulted from platform number 1 onto the tracks, colliding with a Dwarka-directed metro. The impact was fatal, and the station turned into a frenzy of shocked commuters and responding officials.
DCP Metro Kushal Pal Singh confirmed the details, noting the body’s transfer to DDU Hospital for post-mortem. Metro lines faced brief suspensions, with services normalized post-recovery efforts.
Class 12 graduate Ashwini was prepping at a Uttam Nagar coaching center but had been silently suffering from personal woes, as per preliminary inquiries. His family’s agony is compounded by him being their lone child; his father serves as a DTC contract driver.
Launching a formal inquiry under BNSS Section 194, authorities are piecing together the circumstances. This heartbreaking case amplifies the need for proactive mental health interventions, especially for coaching students. Hotlines and school-based programs must be fortified to offer lifelines to those in despair.