The Muktsar district of Punjab is mourning the sudden death of Dr. Navdeep Singh, a prominent medical student and NEET topper. Dr. Singh, 25, was a second-year MD student at Delhi’s Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC). His body was discovered on Sunday morning and handed over to his family by the evening. The cremation is scheduled for Monday afternoon in Muktsar.
According to a Delhi Police officer, “When he wasn’t picking up calls, his father sent a friend to check on him. The friend found that the door of his hostel room was locked from inside. It was prima facie found that the deceased died by suicide. Inquest proceedings are ongoing. No suicide note has been found.”
Dr. Singh gained national recognition in June 2017 when he topped the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). He had chosen Maulana Azad Medical College for its fee structure and expressed satisfaction with his 88 percent score in his Class 12 board exams.
Gopal Singh, Dr. Singh’s father and principal of a government senior secondary school in Sarainaga village, explained, “I am a Physics teacher, perhaps this was the reason that my son developed an interest in science and aspired to be a doctor.”
Kapil Sharma, Principal of Government Senior Secondary School in Tamkot village and a family friend, stated, “When he had topped the exam, people came to know about Muktsar. Many youngsters were inspired by him, and many functions were organized in the district to honor him. We are indeed in shock to hear this news.” Sharma added, “Gopal had spoken with Navdeep on Saturday evening and he was perfectly normal. He had not indicated any stress. We are surprised by this extreme step.”
Dr. Singh’s younger brother is also pursuing medical studies in Chandigarh.