Sprinter commits suicide at JLN stadium hostel

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 14

Palender Chaudhary (18), a sprinter, who has represented India at international levels, allegedly committed suicide and was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his hostel room in the athletics academy at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, said additional DCP Vijayanta Arya, adding that no suicide note was found and the reason for committing suicide is being probed.

Chaudhary's friend saw him hanging from the ceiling of his room when she came to meet him on Tuesday and raised an alarm and cut the scrap bandage by a knife. Thereafter, his coach and a few guards took him to the medical centre of the stadium. From there, he was brought to Safdurjung Hospital for treatment last night. Doctors declared him dead this morning.

Chaudhary, who was practising and living in the JLN stadium for two months, has represented India in 100 and 200-metre race at international level and participated in the Youth Asia Athletic meet in Bankok in 2017.

An official of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) said that the young sprinter had an argument with his father the previous morning. “Later, his sister came to talk to him too. Unfortunately, we could not save him despite our best efforts,” the official said.

His father Mahesh Pal arrived at the hospital from Aligarh this morning. “He told me he needed money. I assured him that I will give him the money. I don’t know what happened later. I’ve no complaints against the people at the stadium,” he said.

The SAI has ordered an internal inquiry following the incident.

"The inquiry will be headed by SAI secretary Swarn Singh Chabra and it should be completed within a week," said SAI director general Neelam Kapur.

Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, who is in Rajasthan, has expressed his grief on the incident.

Man commits suicide

A video of committing suicide live has gone viral. In the 13-minute video, a man, Gaurav, committed suicide hanging himself to ceiling fan after allegedly being traumatised by his wife. Gaurav has left a 17-page suicide note.

In the video, Gaurav could be clearly seen arranging a stool and a bedsheet to get hanged. The incident took place in a bungalow at Paschim Vihar, police said.

He shared in suicide note that he was being tortured by his wife, Ritu and his brother-in law. So, for him, it was easy to die than to live, they said.

He got married to Ritu — then a resident of Vikaspuri — in 2009. After the marriage, they had a son who is now eight years old. Everything was fine until the last three months when the relation between them got bad, so much so that Ritu had left him and started living with her parents. Gaurav got further stressed and committed suicide, said police.

In the note, he has asked police to take action against the accused for whom he committed suicide.