Getting crushed in competitive pressure? Missing student from Kota found after 11 days in Dharmshala

A 17-year-old JEE aspirant, Piyush Kapasia, who went missing from his hostel in Rajasthan's Kota on February 13, has been located in Himachal Pradesh's Dharamshala, after an 11-day search. While his discovery brings relief to his family and authorities, questions remain about the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.

Piyush, who hails from Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, resided in a Kota hostel for two years while preparing for the IIT-JEE exams. 

"The search operation spanned several locations, with teams following leads and gathering information tirelessly," stated senior police officer Amrita Duhan. A crucial breakthrough occurred when intelligence suggested Piyush's presence in Dehradun. Police teams were dispatched to both Dehradun and Haridwar, eventually tracking him down in Dharamshala.

How did he reach Kota to Dharmshsala?

Family members, who accompanied the police team, were undoubtedly relieved. However, the situation remains shrouded in uncertainty as Piyush is reportedly in an unstable mental state and hesitant to provide details.

"His current condition necessitates counseling," Duhan added. "Upon his return to Kota, we will conduct further questioning to understand what led him from Kota to Dharamshala."

Piyush's father, Maheshchand Kapasia, recounted the last contact with his son on February 13 in the morning. "He spoke to his mother, but then stopped answering calls and switched off his phone."

Low grades in JEE-Mains exam could be the reason

Upon discovering Piyush hadn't returned to his hostel after leaving for a test, the family's anxiety escalated. They traveled to Kota and filed a missing person report. Further concerns arose when it emerged that Piyush had scored only 13 percentile in the recent JEE-Mains exam, despite diligently preparing for the IIT-JEE for two years.

CCTV footage from the Kota railway station showed Piyush carrying a bag, which gave the last visual clue before his disappearance.