Tragedy Strikes Premier Engineering Institute
In a deeply distressing incident, a final-year civil engineering student at IIT Kharagpur was found dead in his hostel room on May 4, 2025. The student, a 21-year-old from West Bengal, had not been seen attending classes or responding to messages for over a day, prompting his friends to alert the hostel warden.
Upon entering the locked room, authorities discovered the student unresponsive. He was declared dead by the medical team called to the scene.
Preliminary Investigation Points to Suicide
While the police investigation is ongoing, early indications suggest the possibility of suicide. No suicide note was recovered, but investigators are examining the student’s phone and academic records to understand any contributing factors.
According to initial statements from campus officials, the student had been under significant academic stress in recent months, although he had no prior disciplinary or mental health history on record.
Campus in Mourning, Classes Suspended
The IIT Kharagpur administration has declared a day of mourning and suspended all academic activities for May 5. The flag on campus was flown at half-mast as students and faculty members came together to pay tribute.
Counseling sessions have been made available to hostel residents and classmates, with mental health professionals urging students to seek support during this time of collective grief.
Family and Public Response
The student’s parents, who arrived on campus late in the evening, were inconsolable. The family has requested privacy as they deal with the loss. Meanwhile, the incident has sparked broader conversations online about academic pressure, isolation, and the need for stronger mental health infrastructure in India’s top educational institutions.
Activists and educators have once again called for reforms in hostel life, grading systems, and faculty mentoring programs to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Authorities Urge Caution Against Speculation
In a statement, the Kharagpur police have requested media outlets and the public not to speculate on the cause of death until the postmortem and forensic reports are released. The student’s body has been sent for examination to Midnapore Medical College.
