Kota: A 16-year-old boy from Bihar preparing for IIT-JEE was found hanging from the ceiling fan of his hostel room in the Vigyan Nagar police station area of Kota city on Friday, officials said.

The incident occurred despite the fan in the hostel room being equipped with an anti-hanging device meant to prevent suicide. Police suspected it to be a case of suicide, however, no suicide note was recovered from the room and the reason behind the extreme step by the minor is yet to be ascertained.

A 16-year-old boy studying in class 11th and hailing from the Vaishali district in Bihar had been preparing for IIT-JEE in a coaching institute since April this year in Kota, Circle Inspector at the Vigyan Nagar police station Mukesh Meena said.

The boy was found hanging from the ceiling fan in his hostel room on Friday, he added.

It is the 17th case of suicide by coaching students in Kota this year since January. The city witnessed 26 cases of suicide by coaching students in 2023.