According to police, the athlete received three stitches on his left wrist. He was immediately referred to the psychiatry wing for further medical treatment. It was then that this boy slipped out of hospital mysteriously without giving his statement to the police.
Sports Authority of India (SAI) in Thiruvananthapuram is once again in the news as another teenaged athlete attempted suicide in his hostel room early on Wednesday morning.
The 19-year-old athlete, identified as Nithin U, was training to be a short distance runner at SAI's Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education (LNCPE) in the state capital for the past four years. Nithin tried to end his life by slitting a wrist vein with a piece of broken glass and he was rushed to the state-run Medical College hospital at around 6 am.
According to police, the athlete received three stitches on his left wrist. He was immediately referred to the psychiatry wing for further medical treatment. It was then that this boy slipped out of hospital mysteriously without giving his statement to the police.
The police and the SAI officials tried to locate the boy but according to the local authorities it is believed that the boy has left for his native village in Chirayinkeezhu town in Kerala. This has left police clueless about his motives that allegedly forced him to resort to this extreme step.
Though the reasons behind his suicide attempt are yet to be ascertained, it has been reliably learnt that he took the extreme step after he was allegedly questioned by SAI authorities in connection with a theft in the hostel.
Principal of LNCPE, G Kishore, has reportedly admitted that Nithin – champion junior sprinter in 100m and 200m – was under mental stress due to his poor performance in recent competitions. But a SAI official told dna that the athlete was allegedly caught stealing money from a hostel room and was being questioned.
"It was probably the fear of facing disciplinary action that might have forced him to take this extreme step. This was not the first time that complaints of stealing money were lodged against this boy. In fact, there were also accusations of him stealing watches and perfumes which his hostel mates brought from their competition trips abroad," said the source. "He was under scrutiny for his poor performance on the field as well. The matter is under investigation and the police are looking to question the boy. His statement would only reveal the actual truth."
Though initial reports suggesting harassment and ragging by seniors surfaced after the incident, Kishore ruled out any such complaint made by the athlete.
"Nothing of this sort has come to my notice. The SAI has ordered an internal inquiry to find out what exactly happened. A senior official of SAI has been deputed along with two others to probe the incident," he was quoted as saying.
Last month, four trainee athletes at SAI's water sports complex in Alappuzha had attempted suicide by consuming a poisonous fruit. While three survived, the fourth – Aparna Ramabhadran – died during treatment.
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