The main building of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. File
| Photo Credit: Arunangsu Roy Chowdhury
K. Kiran Chandra, a fourth year dual degree student in the Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT-KGP), died by suicide on Tuesday. “He was a boarder of the Lal Bahadur Shastri Hall of Residence and chose the path of self-harm on the night of October 17, 2023,” a statement by IIT-KGP said on Wednesday.
The police are investigating the matter. The family members of the student were informed by the institute and they arrived on the campus on Wednesday. Kiran Chandra was with two room-mates in their hostel room till 7.30 p.m. when the two left for academic activities. Later, when the students came back around 8.30 p.m. they found the room locked from inside. The students and security staff brought Kiran Chandra to the B.C. Roy Technology Hospital and the student was declared dead around 11.30 p.m. Kiran Chandra hailed from Telangana and one of his brothers is also a student of IIT-KGP.
Kiran Chandra’s death comes almost a year after the body of a third year mechanical engineering student Faizan Ahmed was found from a hostel inside the institute. The Calcutta High Court had earlier this year directed the second autopsy on the body of the student. The court in June this year had directed the police to add murder charges in the case after forensic experts said the death may be homicidal in nature.
The unnatural death of a 17-year-old student had rocked Kolkata’s Jadavpur University in August this year. The investigation by the police and the anti-ragging committee of the university had pointed out that the student was severely ragged by seniors.
Those in distress or having suicidal tendencies could seek help and counselling by calling any of the following numbers: 033-24637401, 033-24637432