He was due to appear for his SSC examinations next year, and is believed to have committed suicide for fear of not performing well
A 16-year-old boy’s birthday week came to a tragic end on Thursday evening when he hung himself while alone at home in Borivli. Anzil Crasto, a SSC student from Don Bosco High School in Borivli committed suicide when his family was out. According to Anzil’s parents’ statement to the police, he was under pressure of appearing for his Secondary School Certificate (SSC ), while his relatives claimed he was afraid of not scoring well in mathematics and science.
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Sad ending: The building in Borivli where Anzil Crasto committed suicide on Thursday evening. He had celebrated his birthday the previous night.
Previous night party
Anzil’s birthday was on November 6, which he celebrated at a party with school friends at his home on November 7. According to a relative, he went to school as usual on November 8, and attended his tuition classes thereafter. His family planned to go out that evening, but Anzil refused, and was later found hanging from the ceiling of the hall. Yesterday was the first day of the beginning of Diwali vacations.
School officials said that Anzil was an average and enthusiastic student. Fr. Alvin, an administrator of Don Bosco High School said, “I teach Anzil and I found him to be very normal in the classroom on November 8. He went to his tuitions and came back home normally, according to his parents. He had celebrated his birthday a day before. It’s shocking for the whole school that we lost a beautiful child.”
Reggie Alphonso, Anzil’s uncle, said, “I received a phone call from a relative at 9 pm on Thursday saying that Anzil had committed suicide. At first I thought it was a prank, but was later shocked to learn it was the truth. Anzil’s mother, who is a teacher at another school, had taken three months leave so that she could tutor him for his board exams. Maybe he was afraid of not doing well in his exams, as he was weak in mathematics and science”
Alphonso added that Anzil wanted to be a priest and he had taken his father’s written approval to go ahead with the plan. “This year, he had celebrated his birthday for the first time with his friends. His friends would never be available for his birthday because his birthdays would fall during Diwali vacations, but this time, since his friends came for his birthday and he celebrated it very well on November 7,” Alphonso said.
Arjun Girme, Police sub-inspector of MHB police station, said, “A case of accidental death has been registered, while the body has been taken to Bhagwati Hospital for post-mortem. Anzil’s parents have given a statement that he might have taken this step due to fear of not doing well in his board exams.”
Expertspeak
Dr Samir Dalwai, developmental pediatrician, New Horizons Child Development Centre, Goregaon, said, “It is shocking and sad that even with all available resources today, we are not able to save children. Parents, teachers and adolescents need to be sensitized in a friendly and non-threatening manner to seek professional help for emotional, behavioural and academic issues.”u00a0
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