Dr Yashwant Gujala, Assistant Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Dhanbad drowned to death today, Tuesday, June 13, while he was bathing in the swimming pool, a report by IANS stated.

The professor was taken to the health centre of IIT where the doctors referred him to Shaheed Nirmal Mahato Medical College, Dhanbad. He was declared dead at the hospital.

An official said that Dr Yashwant Gujala used to swim regularly and knew how to swim, yet how he drowned is doubtful.

It has also been informed that there were 28 people in the pool when Dr Gujala drowned.

Reportedly, the professor jumped into the swimming pool and went straight under water, which lead to his drowning. The aides pulled him out and took him to the health centre.

A postmortem report is awaited which may give a clear reason for his death, IANS added.

IIT Dhanbad's Director Rajeev Shekhar and deputy director Prof Dhiraj Kumar reached the spot following the accident. They shared that the relatives of Dr Yashwant have been informed.

The victim is a native of Odisha and the family lives in Kharagpur, West Bengal.

Meanwhile, two programmes scheduled for Tuesday at IIT(ISM), Dhanbad, were postponed after the tragedy. Union Minister of State for Education Annapurna Devi was to inaugurate a multipurpose building at IIT ISM and the Jharkhand School Innovation Challenge.