Kharagpur: The body of a third-year student of the Civil Engineering Department of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, was found in his hostel room on Sunday. It is being suspected that Mohammad Asif Qamar took his own life. He was a resident of the Seohar district of Bihar.
“He was a resident of the Madanmohan Malviya Hall. After he did not respond to knocks on the door, the police were informed. They broke open the door and found Qamar hanging. He was rushed to hospital where he was declared brought dead,” an official said.
His friends said that Qamar was last seen on Saturday evening. He entered his room thereafter and locked himself in. His family has been informed.
The police said that they have got some leads and those are being followed up. Though no foul play is being suspected prima facie, authorities are trying to find out what prompted the student to take this ultimate step.
There has been a spate of deaths at IIT, Kharagpur this year. On April 20, Aniket Walkar, a fourth-year student in the Department of Ocean Engineering and Naval Architecture, was found hanging in his hostel room. On January 12, the body of a third-year undergraduate student Shaon Malik was found in his hostel room.
In June 2024, Devika Pillai, a fourth-year student of biotechnology and biochemical engineering was also found dead in her room.
IIT Kharagpur authorities have maintained that the institute has counsellors 24×7 to help students fight any stress and depression. After April 20, the institute put up barcodes on the door of every boarder which can be scanned by any boarder during moments of acute mental stress for immediate counselling in privacy.
IIT Kharagpur acting director Amit Patra had earlier said: “A committee is being formed to explore the circumstances and reason behind such tragedies. The well-being, happiness and academic success of our students matter to us. They are our children.”
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