Aspiring 17-year-old Indian cricketer dies by suicide after selection disappointment

A 17-year-old aspiring cricketer allegedly died by suicide at her residence in Nagpur after reportedly struggling with the disappointment of not being selected for a higher-level team. The incident has left her family and the local cricket community in shock.

The tragedy came to light on Thursday morning in the Laxmi Nagar area under the jurisdiction of Bajaj Nagar Police Station. Police have registered an accidental death case and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.

Aditi Chaukhande, a native of Akola, had been living in Nagpur with her mother and elder brother to pursue her education and cricket career. Her father, a civil contractor, continues to reside in Akola. Aditi had recently passed her Class 12 examinations and was working towards becoming a professional cricketer.

Training alongside brother

She trained alongside her elder brother, Prabal Chaukhande, an aspiring cricketer who has represented Vidarbha and featured in the Vidarbha Premier League.

According to police, Aditi had dinner with her mother on Wednesday night before going to her room. Her brother was out of town at the time. The following morning, police were informed of the incident and found her dead. Her body has been sent for post-mortem examination.

Investigators said they recovered a suicide note from the room. In the note, Aditi expressed her disappointment over not being selected for a higher-level cricket team while encouraging her brother to continue chasing his dreams.

“Dada, you play so well. You will become very big. Make our parents proud. I am sad I couldn’t be selected,” the note read, according to police.

Investigation under way

Senior Inspector Chetan Chauhan said the preliminary investigation indicates that the teenager may have taken the extreme step after being distressed over missing out on selection for a bigger cricket team.

“The victim appears to have taken the drastic step due to disappointment over not getting selected for a higher-level team,” Chauhan said, adding that the investigation is ongoing and police are examining all possible angles.

Authorities have stressed that the exact circumstances behind the incident will become clearer once the post-mortem report and the investigation are complete.