A 24-year old second-year research scholar at the IIT Kharagpur was found in his room hanging from the ceiling on Saturday.
The death of Harshkumar Pandey, a resident of Ranchi, is the fifth suspected death by suicide in the premier institute since January 2025.
Around 2 pm, policemen broken open the door of his room at the BR Ambedkar Hall and found the body.
The deceased’s parents from Ranchi were unable to reach him on the phone since morning and had raised an alarm.
“His room was locked from inside when some of our staff members knocked at his door. He did not respond after repeated calls. The police were informed and they broke the door,” said a spokesperson of IIT-Kharagpur.
He was pursuing a PhD in mechanical engineering.
Just about two months ago, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student, Ritam Mondal, was similarly found hanging inside his room at the Rajendra Prasad Hall.
Three days later a second-year electrical engineering student from Madhya Pradesh died after choking on pills
A third-year electrical engineering student Shaon Mitra was found dead in his room on January 12 this year, followed by final-year ocean engineering student Aniket Walker three months later. The third student, Mohammad Asif Qamar, a third-year B.Tech student was found hanging on May 4.
Earlier this month a Supreme Court-appointed National Task Force visited the campus. The apex court had set up a four-member team to probe the rising cases of death by suicides in the educational institutes across the country.
On July 28 a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan had ordered a national task force.
“What is wrong with your IIT Kharagpur? Why are students dying by suicide at your institute? Have you given a thought to the problems?” Justice Pardiwala had asked.
A 10-member external expert committee had earlier submitted suggestions to the institute to prevent campus deaths. The national task force will also make its own recommendations.
At the induction ceremony of IIT Kharagpur held in July, the institute’s director Suman Chakraborty had urged the family members to prioritise mental health of the students’ and ease pressure on the young boys and girls over academic performance.