Missing Kota NEET aspirant found in Ludhiana after 11 days, reunited with family

New Delhi: A 20-year-old NEET aspirant, who vanished from her PG accommodation in Kota, was located in Ludhiana, Punjab, after 11 days and safely reunited with her family, according to police reports on Thursday. Tripti Singh, hailing from Kaushambi Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, left her PG residence at Gobariabawadi, Kota, on April 21 for a routine test at her coaching centre but failed to return, with her phone switched off.

Responding to the report filed by the hostel caretaker on April 23, Kota City Superintendent of Police Amrita Duhan promptly mobilised police teams to locate the missing woman. In an attempt to deceive both her parents and law enforcement, she left behind a suicide note in her room, expressing her intention to end her life by jumping into the Chambal river due to exam failure, alongside apologies and declarations of love to her parents.

Following the discovery of the suicide note, SDRF divers conducted a search operation in the river. Additionally, the woman had inscribed the names of Radha Krishna in her room, and it was discovered that she had previously traveled to Mathura.

Police traces girl to Ludhiana

Consequently, a police team was dispatched to Mathura, and on Wednesday, they received information that a girl matching the description had headed towards Ludhiana. Acting swiftly, the police team arrived in Ludhiana and successfully located the woman based on her activated mobile phone signal on Thursday. They then reunited her with her parents, who had also traveled to Ludhiana.

Supreme Court’s guidelines

The Supreme Court, in a significant hearing, highlighted parental pressure as a major contributor to student stress in entrance exams like NEET, shifting focus from institutional factors. Government guidelines from October 2023 advocate for school wellness teams, early warning signs detection, and community collaboration to prevent student suicides.