Ernakulam: A 46-year-old man from Tamil Nadu, who brought his son from his native Vilakkudi town in Tiruvarur district to take the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), died of cardiac arrest Sunday morning even as Kasturi Mahalingam completed the test unaware of his father’s death.
Unaware of what had happened to his father, Kasturi wrote his exam. It was only when he was singled out in the exam hall by the officials there and a couple of police officers approached him appearing grim that the boy realised there was something amiss.
More than 500 parents waited anxiously outside the Nalanda Public School as the authorities did not allow any candidate to come out for almost 40 minutes after the exam ended at 1pm. They were aware of the tragedy and knew that the officials were trying to locate Kasturi and working out on a strategy for breaking the bad news to the kid. Some of those parents were seen quietly praying for the boy. Finally, the police vehicle carrying the confused kid made its way through the crowd of candidates let out just then.
