Indian expat in Dubai, brother of NEET-linked suicide victim from Kerala, found dead in Mangaluru

On Monday, a 24-year-old Indian expat named Arjun R Mahesh was found dead in a hotel room in Mangaluru, Karnataka. This tragic incident occurred just two months after his younger sister, Ayja, took her own life while preparing for the NEET re-examination in June. The family's sorrow deepened as the two deaths occurred so close together.

Ayja, only 19 years old, was found hanging at her hostel in Pala, Kerala, on June 2. She was rushed to a private hospital and later transferred to another facility, where she passed away the following day. An emotional note was recovered from the hotel room, expressing Arjun's regret and asking for friends to be informed of his death.

Police suspect that Arjun had been grappling with the emotional turmoil following his sister's death and may have been under severe distress. The exact circumstances surrounding his untimely demise are still under investigation.

Ayja had been gearing up for the re-examination of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), originally scheduled for June 21. After a question paper leak, the test was cancelled by the National Testing Agency (NTA). Her mother had hoped her daughter would perform well in the re-exam, but Ayja's confidence waned once it was cancelled. She returned to her hostel in Pala, claiming she couldn't concentrate on studies at home.

Arjun had visited Kerala after his sister's death before returning to Dubai for work. He informed friends about his plans to head back home on Sunday. However, friends in Dubai alerted his family that he was on his way back to India. Worried relatives and neighbors searched for him, but his phone remained off. Tragically, he was discovered dead the next afternoon.