In 2nd incident in a month, IIT Madras student dies by suicide in hostel

The Kotturpuram police were informed, and the body of the student, who belonged to the OBC community, was sent for autopsy.

A police official told South First that there was no suicide note left behind and, upon enquiry, they found that the student had failed to clear the examinations in several subjects.

“We are investigating the incident and the phone of the deceased was recovered. His parents were intimated. The motive for his action can be ascertained only after a proper enquiry with the friends, parents, and the staff,” the official told.

The autopsy is expected to be conducted on Wednesday, only after the arrival of the student’s parents, said the police officer.

IIT-M announces probe by internal panel

Meanwhile, the IIT-Madras management stated that a standing Institute Internal Inquiry Committee, which was constituted recently and included elected student representatives, would look into such incidents.

In a statement, the IIT Madras management said: “Post-Covid has been a challenging environment and the Institute has been endeavouring to improve and sustain the well-being of the students/scholars, faculty and staff on campus while constantly evaluating the various support systems in place [sic].”

It added: “The parents of the student have been informed and we request everyone to please respect the privacy of the family at this unfortunate moment the Institute expresses its sincere condolences and stands united in grief along with the friends and family of the deceased student [sic].”

Second incident in a month

This is the second such incident in a month that happened at IIT-M.

On 14 February, a 24-year-old student was found dead in his room at IIT Madras. The police recovered a note which told them “don’t prosecute”.

Steven Sunny (25), a second-year MS research scholar in the Electrical Engineering department who hailed from Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra and died hanging in his hostel room at the IIT Madras campus.

The same day, another first-year BTech student was admitted to a hospital after a suicide attempt, but he survived.

Following it, students led a protest and proper action was assured by the management to avoid such incidents in the future.

(If you need support or know someone who has suicidal thoughts, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist or can contact the helpline numbers of suicide prevention organizations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families. Tamil Nadu State health department’s suicide helpline: 104 Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre – 044-24640050 Vandrevala foundation for mental health – 999966555)