Last Thursday, Jagdish Mahto wished his son, Pawan Kumar, luck as he left for Mumbai to try his luck in the Railway Recruitment Board exam. Today, Mahto could not get himself to bid a final farewell to Pawan, 25, whose body arrived in his village of Barakhurd here.

Mumbai Police said the youth died after falling on the railway tracks while trying to catch a train for Bhayender from Andheri for his RRB exam on Sunday. But Pawan’s relatives alleged that he was attacked by MNS activists.

For the last six years, ever since he completed his BA (first class) from the Sardar Patel Memorial College in Biharsharif, Pawan had been preparing for competetive exams. His father sold a plot of land to provide financial support.

“I had to take loans at huge interest rates to support Pawan. I knew he would get a job someday and relieve me of my responsibilities,” said Mahto. His three elder daughters are all married.

The family was very happy when Pawan recently cleared the written test for a clerical grade examination. He also sat for the assistant station masters’ exam. In Mumbai, Pawan was staying with his friends, Shailendra Kumar and Manoj. It was the latter who called up Mahto on Sunday to inform him of his son’s death.

The entire village is in mourning. Villagers pointed out that they have no option but to send their children out to look for jobs.

“It is not about how our Pawan died, it is about the sad end of a journey of a struggling Bihar boy,” said Brijnandan Prasad, a villager.