A 17-year-old aspiring cricketer from Nagpur, Maharashtra, was found dead at her home after disappointment over not being selected for a cricket team led to suicide. Aditi Chaukande, from Akola, had serious dreams of making a mark in professional cricket and was working hard to get into the Vidarbha cricket team.
According to police officials, the incident took place in the Laxmi Nagar area under the jurisdiction of Bajaj Nagar Police Station in Nagpur. Aditi had been living in the city with her mother and elder brother for some time, whereas her father, a civil contractor, remained in Akola. The family had moved to facilitate the children's cricketing dreams and education.
Police said Aditi had dinner on Wednesday night with her mother before retiring to her room. Family members found her hanging in her room the following morning. Local authorities were quickly notified, and police were on the way to the scene to investigate. Prabal Chaukande, who is also a young cricketer, was out of town at the time of the incident, said a family member.
According to investigators, police found a handwritten note believed to have been left by Aditi. The note contained emotional messages to her family, officials said. She wrote to her parents and expressed her disappointment in not being selected for a cricket team, said officials. A note directed at her brother and encouraging him to succeed in the sport also was found, one of the messages said.
The contents of the note indicated Aditi was devastated and hurt by her failure to secure a high-level cricket team place, investigators said. But authorities have said that the very reasons for her death would only be known once an investigation has commenced. Police are looking into all aspects of the case and have registered an accidental death report as part of the standard legal procedure.
Aditi had just passed the Class 12 exams and wanted to pursue a career in professional cricket. Family and those who were familiar with her sporting career described her as a dedicated athlete who spent so much time and energy working on her game. She practised and honed the game with her brother regularly and remained intent on winning in competitive cricket.
She had been in tears for weeks after missing out on a big opportunity, investigators say. She was under pressure from competitive sports, plus personal expectations and ambitions, she was likely to have felt, investigators say. But police reserve the right to not draw conclusions until all the evidence has been collected.
The body was sent for post-mortem examination after spot inspection and legal formalities, Senior Police Inspector Chetan Chauhan of Bajaj Nagar Police Station said. He said while the note points to disappointment for the team selection, investigators are looking into all possible angles before determining the exact cause behind the tragedy.
The painful incident has brought into focus the high pressure young athletes are under to succeed in highly competitive sports. Mental health and psychological support for aspiring sportspersons who may be hit with setbacks, failure, and high expectations is key.
The cricketing community and local people have expressed their condolences to the bereaved family as the investigation continues. The loss of a young athlete who has dreams to represent her own region and excel in the sport has left many sad and has forced the nation to take mental health as a bigger concern for youth and athletes.
