In an attempt to bring down the suicide rate in Kota, which has earned itself the moniker ‘suicide city’ due to the high number of students killing themselves there, the Kota Hostel Association has come up with the idea of a suicide-proof fan. The ceiling fan is the tool favoured by the hapless students to hang themselves in the hostels in this city, which is considered the go-to place for anyone seeking coaching for competitive exams in the country.

“The Association has decided to make it mandatory for every student hostel registered with it to attach a spring equipment and siren sensor to  ceiling fans of hostel rooms,” Naveen Mittal, President of Kota Hostel Association said. The spring equipment attached to the fan is capable of bearing a weight of not more than 20 kg and will come down with the expansion of the spring if anyone heavier than 20 kg tries to hang from the fan, he said.

The sensor will also start blaring out, alerting authorities. A firm from Gujarat has been given an order for the supply of the spring equipment and sensor and the process to attach the equipment and sensor is underway in some of the hostels.

The National Crime Record Bureau in its 2014 report said at least 45 students committed suicide in Kota due to fear of failure in exams. Last year, 17 students committed suicide in Kota. Around 1.75 lakh students from across the country have come to Kota in recent years for coaching.