IIT Kanpur: Research Scholar Found Dead in Hostel Room

Pallavi Chilka, a 28-year-old postdoctoral researcher, was discovered hanging in her IIT Kanpur hostel room.

IIT-K research scholar found dead in hostel room. (Representative Image)

Kanpur: In a distressing incident at IIT Kanpur, Pallavi Chilka, a postdoctoral research scholar associated with the Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, was tragically found deceased in her hostel room on Tuesday. The 28-year-old researcher was discovered hanging from a fan by a concerned cleaning staff member who had tried to reach out to her in the late afternoon.

The deceased hailed from Cuttack, Odisha, and her body was discovered hanging from a ceiling hook in the hostel room located on the second floor of RA Tower within the campus premises on Tuesday, as reported by IANS

According to the police report, she had recently shifted into the hostel room just three days before the tragic incident. Previously, she had been residing in a rented accommodation outside the campus while serving as a project executive officer in the BSBE department for approximately a year.

SHO Kalyanpur Dhananjay Pandey said the institute had informed the family and the post-mortem would be conducted after the family arrives from Odisha on Wednesday.

In the evening, a cleaner, unable to elicit any response despite his attempts to contact her, sought the attention of the hostel superintendent, Atiqur Rehman. Upon investigation, when the superintendent looked through the window, he discovered the body.

In a statement released late Tuesday night, the institute acknowledged her as a promising researcher who had joined IIT-K for her post-doctoral research. 

“A police forensic team has visited the campus to review the reason for the death; the institute was awaiting the police investigation to determine the likely cause of the death. In her passing away, the institute has lost a young bright and promising researcher,” it added.

About IIT Kanpur

The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) is one of the premier technical institutes in India. Established in 1959, it holds a prominent position among the country's top engineering institutions. Known for its academic excellence and cutting-edge research, IIT Kanpur offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs in various fields of engineering, science, humanities, and management.