IIT Kanpur Doctoral Student From Jharkhand Dies By Suicide In Hostel Room, Third In A Month

The 29-year old postdoctoral research student was found hanging from the ceiling fan inside her hostel room, as per the police.

IIT Kanpur PhD Student Dies By Suicide In Hostel

In a fresh case of student suicide in IITs, a PhD scholar in IIT Kanpur allegedly died by suicide on Thurday. The incident marks the third such case in recent weeks, as per the police. The 29-year old student from Jharkhand’s Dumka was pursuing PhD in Chemical Engineering at the institute, and enrolled in the institute on December 29 last year. According to the police, the student allegedly hanged herself from the ceiling fan in her hostel room. The tragic incident is the third suicide case at IIT Kanpur campus within a month. 

Additional DCP (West) Akash Patel told PTI that they received the information of suicide by a PhD student at IIT Kanpur at around 01:00 pm. He further said that when the police reached the spot, it was found that the room of the student was locked from the inside. After breaking into the room, they found the student’s body hanging from the ceiling fan. 

It was other students of the hostel who informed the IIT-K authorities who later called the police. The DCP stated that a forensic team was called onto the spot, and more information into the matter shall be shared with the media regarding the suicide, accordingly. He further said that the possible reasons behind the student’s alleged suicide will be revealed only after a preliminary probe and the completion of other formalities.

Notably, in a similar incident, on January 11 this year, a second-year M.Tech student at IIT Kanpur allegedly hanged himself from the ceiling fan in his hostel room. The student reportedly ended his life after he was temporarily barred from continuing with his course at the institute. Earlier on December 19 last year, another postdoctoral research student at IIT Kanpur hanged herself from the ceiling fan inside her second-floor hostel room inside the campus. 

(With inputs from PTI)