Protests Erupt at IIT Guwahati After Third-year Student Found Dead In Hostel Room – News18

After a third-year BTech student was found dead in his hostel room on Monday, protests erupted across the campus.  This was the second such death on the campus in a month and the fourth case this year. The deceased was a 21-year-old student hailing from Uttar Pradesh, studying Computer Science and Engineering at the IIT.

The protesters allege academic pressures led to the student’s death, reported Indian Express. They also demanded the administration take responsibility and questioned the mental health care system at the institute.

IIT Guwahati issued a statement on Monday stating that students’ well being is their “top priority”. “IITG is deeply saddened to report the loss of a student from our community. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the student’s family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time,” a spokesperson said.

“We encourage our student community to reach out to our support networks. IITG reaffirms its commitment to fostering a supportive and safe environment for all students,” the spokesperson added.

“IITG remains dedicated to prioritising the mental health and well-being of our student community during these challenging times,” he added.

A 23-year-old from Uttar Pradesh who was studying MTech at IIT Guwahati was found dead in her hostel room on August 9. While Sourav Kumar, a first-year B-tech student died by suicide on April 10. The deceased who was studying computer science at the institute allegedly died by hanging himself in his hostel room. While the exact cause was unknown, sources had suggested academic pressure and some personal reasons might have played a role.

— with PTI inputs

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