A 25-year-old student pursuing MD (radiotherapy) in Jawaharlal institute of postgraduate medical education and research institute (Jipmer) committed suicide by administering lethal injection at his room in the hostel on the institute premises on Friday. The deceased identified as U Sumanth from Bangalore joined the postgraduate programme at Jipmer a month ago.
The suicide came to light when his friends and hostel mates on finding that he did not step out of his room after 8am on Friday attempted to reach him over mobile. When repeated calls went unanswered they broke open the room only to find him dead on his bed. The institute officials alerted his mother U Poornima, a senior consultant at a private hospital in Bangalore and relatives. Inquiries revealed that Sumanth administered an injection of potassium chloride between 12 noon and 1pm on Friday in an effort to end his life.
His mother and relatives, who reached Puducherry, preferred not to take the body to Bangalore and decided to perform the last rites in Puducherry. The institute handed over the body after postmortem examinations following which the student was cremated at Karuvadikuppam burial grounds.
His sister is pursuing final year MBBS at a private college in Bangalore.
Inquiries revealed that he went into depression after his father, Umesha, a chief executive officer of a private firm in Bangalore, died following jaundice (liver cirrhosis) four years ago. He was taking antidepressants since then. He was also undergoing cognitive behavior therapy at Bangalore. He did not attend sessions recently. His condition worsened when he happened to meet a female patient suffering from jaundice-related complications similar to that of his father’s condition at the ward in Jipmer a week ago.
He visited Bangalore for a change in ambience. He sounded positive on coming back to Jipmer and even bought a bicycle on Wednesday to exercise within the campus. He had shared about his medical condition with a couple of his friends in Jipmer during his one month stay.
“His mother revealed that he had attempted suicide twice earlier. His friends in Jipmer offered him words of encouragement and advised him to continue treatment at Jipmer centre also. A brilliant student he consistently topped in all academic activities. He planned his suicide precisely this time,” said a doctor in Jipmer.
The doctor further added that he was responding well after undergoing cognitive behavior therapy, which is mostly commonly used to treat high levels of anxiety and depression.
“However of late he was not attending sessions regularly. He was not also taking the medicines as advised. These patients will be reluctant to take the medicines regularly,” he said.