A 21-year-old student of B.Tech final year at the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi died by suicide on September 1. According to the police, the student was on extension as he failed to clear some exams.
The Ambedkar Phule Periyar Student Circle (APPSC) in a statement said, “Another SC student was found dead in Vindyachal hostel at IIT-Delhi today.”
However, the IIT authorities could not be contacted for confirmation.
It is the second incident of suicide on IIT-Delhi campus in last two months. On July 10, a student named Ayush Ashna, who was pursuing B.Tech (Maths), passed away after a suicide bid.
“You can theorise on our deaths as much, and our experience but it is us who put our academics and mental health on toll every day as people, young students from our community pass away,” the APPSC statement read.
Police said they received a PCR call around 6 p.m. on Friday and the caller informed about a suicide by a student named Anil Kumar.
As police teams rushed to the spot, they found the door of the deceased’s room closed from inside and the same was broke open by the Fire department. The Dean of Students / CMO, IIT, Chief Security officer, crime team, forensic teams were also present at the time of breaking the gate open.
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“On verification of facts, it was revealed that the deceased was pursuing B.Tech in Mathematics and Computing (session 2019-2023). He was on extension as he did not complete some subjects and was residing in hostel on six months’ extension,” a senior police official involved in the investigation said.
The police claimed that no foul play has been observed from the spot and body was sent for further proceedings.
In a recent interaction with the media ahead of the IIT-Delhi convocation, Director Rangan Banerjee said the institute was taking steps to care for the mental well-being of students and even dropped one set of mid-semester exams to reduce stress among students.
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Mr. Banerjee said that the IIT was setting up a system where those who need help would be given counselling.
If you are in distress, please reach out to these helplines: Sanjivini, Society for Mental Health; telephone: 011-40769002, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-7.30 p.m., or by calling numbers provided in this link
