The death of a fourth-year student from the Department of Electrical Engineering in one of the oldest IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology) of the country, IIT Kharagpur has been identified as a victim of self-harm, according to a statement released by the institution. As per ANI, the student was discovered dead in his hostel room.
The student named K Kiran Chandra was a resident of the Medak district in Telangana who was pursuing a dual degree in Electrical Engineering and was a boarder of the Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Hall.
"Well-being of students comes first"
EdexLive spoke to a student who wanted to remain anonymous. The student informed that the parents of the deceased were informed as soon as possible and arrangements were made for their travel to Kharagpur.
The student from IIT Kharagpur further added that students have been notified about the incident but internal administrative meetings are being held to ensure that the students of the institute are not affected due to the death. Internal meetings continue to be held to navigate the situation sensitively and without creating a negative atmosphere for the students, he emphasises.
"Parents should be catered to first, and since his brother too is a fellow student, extra precaution is being taken regarding the issue by the administration," said the student.
Statement made by IIT Kharagpur
A press release sent by the institute on October 18, declared the above statement and added that he "chose the path of self-harm on the night of 17th October, 2023."
The deceased was discovered by his fellow boarders of the LBS Hall at around 8.30 pm and found that his room was locked from the inside. After forcing it open, the student was found dead. The statement also said that the security and other students brought him to the BC Roy Technology Hospital but was declared dead by the doctors around 11.30 pm.
According to a report dated October 19 by the IANS, the deceased's kin denied taking the legal route against IIT Kharagpur as it would not bring him back. They also stated that the student was under intense pressure over the completion of a specific project and hence, resorted to taking the extreme step.
