Kalaburagi witnessed a heartbreaking incident as a 13-year-old boy ended his life after being enrolled in a hostel against his will. A Class 7 student at Indira Gandhi Residential School in Mudhol town, Sedam taluk, the boy hailed from Paanegaon village in Kalaburagi district.

Despite voicing strong resistance and warning his parents that he would take such a step if forced into the hostel, the boy was enrolled at the school. Reports suggest he had previously attempted suicide 15 days earlier. After brief counselling, his parents left him again at the hostel, hoping he would adjust and focus on studies. Sadly, he was unable to cope with the separation from his mother and took his life on school premises.

Sedam police have registered a case and are probing the matter, recording statements from the boy’s parents, hostel staff, and peers.

This tragic case is part of a disturbing pattern across Karnataka. On June 2, Vishnu Priya, a 22-year-old medical intern from Bengaluru, was found dead in her hostel room in Shivamogga. Police are treating it as an unnatural death.

Later, on June 29, a 15-year-old girl in a Chikkamagaluru residential school was found hanging in her hostel. She had been a student there since Class 6, and the cause remains under investigation.

On May 29, 19-year-old Tejaswini, an engineering student in Kodagu, died by suicide after citing academic stress and multiple backlogs in a note.

These repeated tragedies highlight a growing crisis in student mental health, especially in residential settings. Authorities and institutions are being urged to prioritise emotional well-being alongside academics.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please seek help.

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