"I'm Sorry": Telangana Student's Letter To Dad Before Death By Suicide

A Class 11 student has died by suicide in Telangana's Adilabad district. While the suicide note says he was upset because he missed an exam for turning up late, a senior education official has said he did not show up at all.

The body of Tekum Siva Kumar was recovered from Satnala dam this afternoon. A suicide note was found near the landing he must have jumped from. His watch, wallet and other items were found with the note. In his wallet were two photographs - his and his father's.

The note in Telugu read, "I am sorry, daddy, forgive me. I am not able to cope with this trauma. You have done a lot for me, but I am not able to do anything for you. I have never felt this bad. I have missed the exam for the first time. I am feeling terrible," the note says.

Heart-rending scenes were witnessed near the dam when the youngster's body was brought out of the water and his relatives broke down.

About 10 lakh students of the Telangana state education board are taking the intermediate exams that started yesterday. Among the exam rules laid down by the state board is a strict provision that has been challenged in courts too. This rule says that a student won't be allowed to take the test even if he/she reaches the exam centre a minute late. As the exams began, many students were seen crying outside and pleading with the examiners to let them in.

Siva Kumar, however, did not turn up at the exam centre, a senior official said.

Burra Venkatesham, vice-chairperson of Telangana State Board of Intermediate Examination, said the youngster cannot be seen in the CCTV footage of the exam centre till five minutes after the test started at 9 am. He also said reports from the district education office and police confirm this.

"The student may have been under exam-related stress, but the latecomers-not-allowed rule may not apply in this case," he said. The official said helpline numbers are being set up to help parents and students reach out in stress.