Denied bike, couple’s only son hangs self

NAGPUR: A middle-aged couple’s 14-year-old son committed suicide on Tuesday afternoon, apparently after they rejected his demand for a bike to attend tuition classes located some 10km from their residence. Atharwa Janbandhu, a student of standard X, took the extreme step when his mother had gone to Chimur in Chandrapur district and his father was at work.
Cops said Atharwa hanged himself from the ceiling hook with a white dupatta on the second floor of their rented house at Hiwri Nagar in Nandanvan.Their maid, who entered from the open door, first spotted him hanging. She immediately informed the landlord, who alerted Atharwa’s father Lakshmikant (44). Neeta was subsequently told about the incident.
Sources close to the family told TOI that Atharwa, who had passed standard IX with 76%, was a bit weak in maths subject. So he wanted to join a renowned class with his friends at Dharampeth. He also wanted a brand new bike so he could travel to the tuition.
However, since the family was planning to shortly shift to their new house at Wathoda, the parents were trying to convince the boy to take admission at the nearby Wardhaman Nagar class. His parents even told him that he anyway wouldn’t get a license, but he was still insisting on the bike, added sources.
A football player, Atharwa had somehow agreed to Lakshmikant’s decision and also taken the fees for the tuition. On Sunday, Atharwa’s mother Neeta left for her maternal house at Chimur, promising to return on Tuesday. Before leaving, she also urged Atharwa to come along but he refused.
On Tuesday at 10.30am, Atharwa went to his paternal grandparents’ place for lunch and returned by 12.30pm. Meanwhile, Lakshmikant, a clerk in State Bank of India, had left for his workplace. Cops said Atharwa probably ended his life at around 3.30pm but was sighted at 5.15pm.
Atharwa’s relatives told TOI, “Neeta and Lakshmikant had lost a four-day-old infant several years back. Atharwa too was a premature baby. They used to take care of his every small demand. They had even organized a housewarming party at their new place on June 8, which was also Atharwa’s birthday.”
Nandanvan police were summoned by neighbours after Atharva’s body was spotted. Cops sent the body to GMCH for post mortem and registered a case of accidental death. No suicide note was recovered from the house.