Another JEE aspirant goes missing in Kota, second case in a week

A second student has gone missing within a week in Kota. Piyush Kapasia, a JEE aspirant from Uttar Pradesh, has been missing since February 13. This follows the recent disappearance of another student, Rachit Sondhya, from Madhya Pradesh, last Sunday.

Piyush, who had been staying in a Kota hostel for the past two years, spoke to his mother on Tuesday morning but did not respond to subsequent calls, eventually turning off his phone, according to his father, Maheshchand.

Rachit Sondhya, the earlier missing student, was last seen entering a forest area near Garadiya Mahadev temple, as captured by security camera footage. Police have recovered his belongings, including a bag and keys, from the forest area, and efforts are underway to locate both missing students.

Kota annually attracts over 2 lakh students preparing for exams like JEE and NEET. Last year, a rise in student suicides prompted the Centre to issue guidelines to coaching institutes and district administrations, aiming to address the mental health challenges faced by coaching students and alleviate stress and depression.