A 17-year-old JEE aspirant committed suicide in his hostel room in Rajasthan's Kota, police said on Friday.

Manish Prajapat, a resident of Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, had come to Kota six months ago. He was staying in a hostel at Mahavir Nagar under Jawahar Nagar police station area here.

Prajapat was preparing for JEE from Uncademy Institute.

Police said that his father had come to meet him on Thursday, four hours before he committed suicide. The father returned to Azamgarh in the evening itself.

Hostel caretaker Rakesh said that Prajapat had come to stay in this hostel only a few months ago, and it was his father who got him the room.

On Thursday, his father was in Kota only and had come to meet him. According to Rakesh, his father seemed to be angry.

Prajapat had come downstairs to eat food in the mess around seven o'clock, the last time he was seen alive. He had returned from coaching between 6 - 6.30 p.m.

At around eight p.m. his father called him, but there was no answer. On this he called the caretaker and asked him to talk to his son.

The incident came to light when the caretaker reached his room. Rakesh said, "I went to Prajapat''s room with the phone in my hand and knocked on the door, but got no answer."

After this he informed the hostel operator, who asked him (Rakesh) to peep through the skylight. When the caretaker peeped inside, he found Prajapat hanging, and the police were informed.

Police said that Prajapat had hanged himself with a bedsheet.

By the time the Jawahar Nagar police station broke open the door, Prajapat had died.

This is the 20th suicide case in the last eight months in this education city.

(IANS/SR)