18-yr-old sprinter kills self in JLN stadium hostel

New Delhi: An 18-year-old spirinter who represented India at the international level committed suicide Tuesday night in his hostel room at the Sports Authority of India's (SAI) Athletics Academy in Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, police said on Wednesday.

A SAI official said that it has ordered a departmental inquiry in the case. The official added that the deceased Palender Chaudhary took the extreme step allegedly after an argument with his father over monetary issues. However, the boy's father denied having any quarrel with him.

Police sources said that at the time of incident, Palender's sister had gone to meet him, reportedly with some money that he was in need of.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Vijayanta Arya said they have not got any complaints of foul play from the victim's family or anyone else.

"The victim's family have not expressed any blame or foul play in the case and not even another person so far," said Arya.

According to cops, around 9 pm on Tuesday, they received a caller from Safdarjung Hospital about the admission of one Palender, who resided at the JLN Stadium Hostel and was coach Harkamaljeet Singh, in an unconscious state.

"During enquiry, it was found that Palender had been residing at the hostel since November 2016 and was taking training for 100 and 200 metre race. He was found hanging from the ceiling fan of his hostel room on the second floor by a female friend who visited him," said Arya.

She added that the woman raised an alarm and cut the bandage by which Palender made a noose with a knife. Palender's coach and other staff took him to the medical centre of the stadium, after which he was brought to Safdarjung Hospital. However, doctors declared him dead on Wednesday morning.

Cops said that Palender had represented India in 100m and 200m race at the 2017 Asian Youth Athletics Championships in Bangkok. No suicide note has been found, they said.

SAI Director General Neelam Kapur told reporters, "It seems to be a family matter related to monetary issues. What we know is that the boy had an argument with his father in the morning on the phone, after which his sister came to meet him in the evening."

"He took the step in front of his sister after threatening her. She came out screaming and our staff immediately went there and brought him down," Kapur added.

However, the victim's father Mahesh Pal asserted there was no monetary dispute between him and his son.

"When I talked to him, he told me to send money, to which I agreed. There was no fight. I have lost everything," Pal told Millennium Post.

"The reason for the suicide is being probed," police said, adding that they are also investigating the love angle.

Meanwhile, in its press statement, SAI said that other athletes and Chaudhary's sister, who had come to visit her at the hostel, raised an alarm as soon as they discovered Palender's hanging from the ceiling fan.

It added that officials immediately rushed to his room and brought Chaudhary down. He was alive rushed to Safdarjung Hospital, where he died later.

"The Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore expressed his deepest condolences at the loss of a young life. The Director General has ordered an internal enquiry to ascertain the facts. The enquiry will be headed by SS Chhabra, Secretary, SAI," said the press statement.

Speaking about the enquiry, Kapur said, "The enquiry officer will speak to all concerned people – coaches, other athletes and Palender's family members, especially his sister who had come to visit him that evening, to understand what may have led him to take this extreme step."

Budding Olympian Palender had enlisted for Army

New Delhi: With the death of Palender Chaudhary, the nation has lost a rising stars who had the potential to win big at the international stage.

The victim's family and his friends claimed that his dream was to represent his nation at the Olympics. But that dream is now ashes.

According to the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Chaudhary had joined its National Athletics Academy of SAI in November 2016.

In 2017, he was selected for Asian Youth Athletics Championships in Bangkok and won a gold medal in the relay race.

This year, till July, he was at Jabalpur to complete his formalities for joining the Indian Army, where he had been selected. Thereafter, he resumed regular training at the academy in JLN Stadium.

His father Mahesh Pal said that Palender was preparing for an athletic event. "His dream was to represent the country. His death has shattered me," said Pal, adding that he loved his child very much.

Meanwhile, a friend of Palender's Ajeet Rawat claimed that the last time they talked was about an athletics meet to take place in Aligarh.

"He had also made tattoo symbolising the Olympics, but later had it removed as this year he was set to join the Indian Army," said Rawat. He added that Palender never showed signs of depression.

Talking about his friend's track record, Rawat claimed that in 2012, Palender began practising. With determination and hard work, he won several events at various levels and never looked back.

"Last time, he visited his home on Diwali for the celebration. There was no worry on his face. He always talked about sports," said Rawat.

A sprinter, 18-year-old Chaudhary, committed suicide in his hostel room at the SAI's Athletics Academy in at Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Stadium here on Tuesday evening. He was taken to Safdarjung Hospital, where he died later.

(WITH AGENCY INPUTS)