IIM-B Student Dies After Falling Off 2nd Floor; Police Await Post-Mortem As Social Media Fuels Discrimination Debate

Speculation over the death of Nilay Kailashbhai Patel persists online, with several posts on platform 'X' pointing to potential discrimination as a factor.

The death of Nilay Kailashbhai Patel, a student at the Indian Institute of Management, Bengaluru (IIM-B), has ignited a discussion on caste-based discrimination on social media platforms. Patel reportedly fell from the second floor of his hostel, with initial investigations by the police suggesting an accidental fall rather than suicide, as no suicide note was found, as reported by PTI.

However, speculation persists online, with several posts on platform 'X' pointing to potential discrimination as a factor. The All India OBC Students Association (AIOBCSA) has demanded clarification from IIM-B. In a statement on its social media platform X page, @aiobcsa, the association stated, "We demand @iimb_official to provide clarity on this critical issue. The institution lacks adequate mechanisms to address the concerns of marginalised communities, a matter we have repeatedly highlighted."

The social media page also tagged the Ministry of Education and Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan. "We call upon @EduMinOfIndia to take immediate action to prevent student suicides and to strengthen institutional support systems for students from marginalised backgrounds," read the post.

The police informed news agency PTI that they are awaiting the post-mortem report, which is expected in three days, to determine the cause of death.

Nilay Found Lying In Hostel’s Courtyard

Nilay, a native of Surat, had celebrated his 29th birthday with friends on Saturday night. After cutting a cake in a friend’s room shortly after midnight, he reportedly returned to his own room.

Around 6:30 AM on Sunday, he was found lying in the hostel’s courtyard lawn by security personnel, who immediately rushed him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival, the police said.

After the incident, IIM-B shared a condolence message on its official X account, stating, "It is with profound sadness that IIM Bangalore shares the news of the untimely passing of our PGP 2023-25 student." The police have registered a case of unnatural death, and the investigation is ongoing.