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Stressed class 12 student self-immolates in Jharkhand school, succumbs to injur…

The Class 12 student, who had set himself ablaze in his classroom on Monday in Jharkhand capital Ranchi and suffered 65% burn injuries, died on Wednesday night, police said on Thursday.

The 18-year-old was undergoing treatment at Devkamal Hospital in Ranchi.

“With 65% burn injury, his condition was very critical since day one. His survival chance was negligible. Finally, he succumbed to his injury on Wednesday,” director and chief plastic surgeon of Devekamal Hospital, Dr Anant Sinha, said.

Ashutosh Anand, a science student at CBSE-affiliated Lala Lajpat Rai School, carried a bottle of petrol in his school bag to the class on Monday. During a break, he poured it on his sweater and lit it with a matchstick.

The school authorities came to his rescue but more than half of his body was already burnt by then.

Ashutosh belonged to Bihar’s Ara district and was living with his aunt at Harmu Housing Colony in the city. He aspired to become an engineer and was preparing to crack the IIT, his classmates said.

The hospital authorities have handed over his body to the local police for an autopsy at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS).

“The post-mortem will be carried out today (Thursday),” Pandra police station in-charge Anand Kumar said.

The management of Lala Lajpat Rai School closed the school on Thursday in memory of Ashutosh. The practical examination of Class 12 was deferred for a day.

The incident has once again highlighted the stress among students due to pressure of performing well in academics, making psychiatrists, educationists and activists question the competitive education structure in the country.

“I could not cope with the study pressure. So, I decided to end my life,” Ashutosh said in his statement to the police.

Source: HindustanTimes