New Delhi, June 17: Days before lakhs of students are set to appear for the NEET-UG re-examination on June 21, a NEET aspirant allegedly died by suicide in Delhi.

The deceased, identified as Renu, lived with her family in the Palam area of South-West Delhi. According to reports, she had appeared for the NEET examination on May 3 and had reportedly been suffering from depression after the examination was cancelled.

Police said that on June 13, Renu’s father had gone to his in-laws’ residence following the death of his father-in-law. Renu was alone at home when the incident occurred. She allegedly died by hanging herself on the evening of June 13.

A suicide note recovered from the spot revealed her emotional distress. In the note, she apologised to her parents and wrote that she had been unable to fulfil their aspirations. The family is originally from Rajasthan.

The incident comes amid growing concern over the mental well-being of students preparing for highly competitive examinations, particularly after the controversy surrounding the NEET examination and allegations of paper leaks.

Earlier this week, a 22-year-old NEET aspirant died by suicide in Rajasthan’s Sikar district. The student, identified as Umesh Mali, was preparing for his third attempt at the NEET examination, which is scheduled to be held on June 21.

This was the second case of a NEET aspirant dying by suicide in Sikar, highlighting the mounting pressure faced by students preparing for competitive entrance examinations.

According to police, Umesh was a native of Nawalgarh in Jhunjhunu district. His father works as a tile contractor in Mumbai. Umesh had been residing in a flat in the Udyog Nagar police station area of Sikar along with his mother, elder sister, and younger brother while preparing for the examination.

In another similar incident reported on Tuesday, a 23-year-old woman in Dehradun allegedly ended her life after reportedly struggling to clear the NEET examination. She left behind a note addressed to her parents that read, “Mummy-Papa, I love you.”

According to investigators, preliminary findings suggest that she had been preparing for the NEET examination for a long time and aspired to pursue a career in medicine.

Meanwhile, NTA Director General Abhishek Singh on Tuesday assured aspirants that the re-examination would be conducted in a secure and error-free manner, while cautioning students and parents against social media rackets claiming to sell “leaked papers” for hefty sums.

In a video message, Singh said there was “no leaked paper for the re-exam” and warned candidates against falling prey to fraudsters operating through Telegram channels.

He said the temporary suspension of the Telegram application till June 22 was aimed at curbing fake news and misleading claims relating to the examination.

New Delhi, June 17: The CISF personnel at Terminal-1 of Indira Gandhi International Airport on Wednesday intercepted a passenger bound for Kolkata after noticing suspicious behaviour during security screening. A detailed frisking led to the recovery of 1.210 kg of gold concealed in the passenger’s clothing, along with Rs 1,97,200 in unaccounted cash. Upon questioning, the passenger failed to produce any valid documents or provide a satisfactory explanation regarding the recovered items.

During the proceedings, the passenger allegedly attempted to influence the on-duty CISF personnel to avoid legal action. However, the CISF staff displayed exemplary integrity by rejecting the offer and promptly reporting the matter to senior authorities.

The passenger, along with the seized gold and cash, was subsequently handed over to the Income Tax Department for further investigation and legal action.

The successful interception highlights the vigilance, professionalism, and unwavering integrity of CISF personnel in safeguarding the nation’s civil aviation sector and reinforces their commitment to the motto of ensuring “Safe Airports, Secure Nation”.

Earlier on June 4, the CISF personnel intercepted a foreign national at the Mumbai airport and recovered illicit foreign currency worth Rs 1.39 crore, being carried by him in his luggage.

The foreign national was subsequently taken into custody and handed over to the Customs officials at the airport for further interrogation and action.

According to CISF officials, the said passenger was travelling from Mumbai to Addis Ababa with the unaccounted cash.

The foreign national, while checking in for the scheduled flight, came under the scanner of vigilant officials after the latter observed some suspicious objects in his baggage during screening at the X-BIS system. The X-ray image of his belongings created some suspicion, prompting the CISF officials to carry out a detailed examination of his hand luggage.

It was during baggage screening that the CISF personnel stumbled upon a suspicious bag, belonging to a traveller of foreign origin, and then dug deeper into the scanned image. An uncleared foreign currency amounting to USD 145,000 (approx Rs 1.39 crore) was found in his bag and subsequently seized by the authorities.

Jaipur, June 17: A day before Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s high-stakes ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ rally in Kota, a fresh political battle has erupted in Rajasthan, with the Congress accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of removing posters, intimidating stakeholders, and attempting to undermine the Opposition leader’s outreach to students.

The Congress claims the state administration has begun taking down banners and hoardings promoting Rahul Gandhi’s Wednesday event and is exerting pressure on coaching institutes, PG operators and guest-house owners to discourage student participation.

The BJP has however denied the charges, calling them “baseless” and “politically motivated”.

The confrontation comes as Rahul Gandhi prepares to spotlight issues such as paper leaks, recruitment exam irregularities and unemployment from Kota, India’s coaching capital and a city symbolic of the aspirations and frustrations of millions of students.

Rajasthan Congress President Govind Singh Dotasra accused the BJP of being rattled by the response to the programme.

He alleged that authorities were removing publicity material ahead of the rally and said the event would proceed regardless of any hurdles.

Dotasra also said that while Rahul Gandhi is expected to travel to Kota by train, a charter aircraft has been kept ready as a contingency plan.

“If the train is delayed, the programme schedule could be affected. Therefore, a Plan B has been arranged. Whether Rahul Gandhi arrives by train or charter, the programme will take place as scheduled,” he added.

Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot sharpened the attack on BJP, saying that repeated paper leaks and recruitment controversies have shattered young people’s faith in the system.

He said launching a movement centred on students from Kota carries a powerful political message and alleged that attempts were being made to create obstacles around Rahul Gandhi’s visit.

Gehlot also alleged that a situation is being created around Rahul Gandhi’s programme suggesting that Lok Sabha Speaker and Kota MP Om Birla is opposed to the visit.

He noted that complaints regarding the intimidation of coaching institutes and other individuals are surfacing, which is not a good sign for the democratic system.

The Congress’ official X account also accused the BJP government of trying to suppress student voices by removing banners and posters.

“Posters can be removed, but the voice of the youth cannot be silenced,” the Congress said.

Rahul Gandhi, meanwhile, has framed the rally as a platform for students and job aspirants.

In a social media appeal, he accused the Narendra Modi government of failing the country’s youth through paper leaks, examination mismanagement, rising education costs and shrinking opportunities.

Meanwhile, young Congress leader Nirmal Chaudhary also raised questions, asking why complaints regarding the removal of posters and pressure tactics concerning the event are surfacing if the BJP is not afraid of Rahul Gandhi.

He remarked that while posters can be removed, the questions raised by lakhs of students cannot be erased.

The BJP, however, has dismissed the allegations as a desperate attempt to generate political attention.

Senior BJP leader Rajendra Rathore challenged Congress leaders to provide evidence for their claims and criticised attempts to drag Lok Sabha Speaker and Kota MP Om Birla into the controversy.

According to officials, several hoardings were removed because they had allegedly been installed without the required municipal permissions.

With both BJP and Congress involved in a war of words, what was planned as a student-focused rally has already evolved into a political flashpoint.

As Rahul Gandhi arrives in Kota to amplify youth concerns, the battle over posters, permissions and political messaging has become a story in itself.