IIT-Kharagpur Student Found Hanging, 5th Suspected Case Of Suicide This Year

The body of a researcher was discovered hanging inside BR Ambedkar Hall at IIT-Kharagpur around 2 pm today, marking the fifth suspected suicide case at this prestigious institution this year.

Kharagpur:

Hijli outpost police under Kharagpur Town Police recovered the body of Harshkumar Pandey, a 27-year-old PhD student from Jharkhand pursuing Mechanical Engineering at IIT-Kharagpur. Authorities have initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, and the body has been sent for post-mortem examination.

The discovery occurred after Pandey's father, Manoj Kumar Pandey, became concerned when unable to contact his son by phone. He alerted the IIT security personnel, who found the student's room locked. After Hijli police were notified, they recovered the body around 2:00 PM and transported it to BC Roy Hospital at IIT Kharagpur, where physicians pronounced him deceased.

This tragedy brings the total number of unnatural deaths at IIT Kharagpur this year to six, with five cases involving hanging. The previous incident occurred in July when Chandradeep Pawar, a second-year Electrical Engineering student from Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, died after choking on medication.

Since assuming his role on June 23, IIT Kharagpur Director Suman Chakraborty has implemented various measures to address student suicides on campus. These include launching initiatives such as the SETU app, Mother Campus, and additional programs focused on students' mental well-being. On World Suicide Prevention Day, September 10, he participated in a torchlight procession alongside students to raise awareness.

Helplines Vandrevala Foundation for Mental Health 9999666555 or help@vandrevalafoundation.com TISS iCall 022-25521111 (Monday-Saturday: 8 am to 10 pm) (If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist.)