Third-year student found hanging in IIT Kharagpur hostel room

A third-year BTech student of IIT Kharagpur was found hanging in his hostel room on Sunday, an official said.

The body of Mohammad Asif Qamar was found hanging in his hostel room in Madanmohan Malviya Hall in IIT Kharagpur campus, the official said.

Qamar was a third-year student of the civil engineering department and his door was locked from inside since Saturday night, the official, said quoting his friends and hostel superintendent.

On Sunday morning cops from the police outpost on the campus were informed and they broke open the door to find him hanging. Qamar was from Seohar district in Bihar. His family has been informed.

A senior police officer confirmed the death. He said the police have got some leads and the investigation was proceeding on that.

He said prima facie it was a case of suicide but investigations were on.

On April 20 Aniket Walkar, a fourth-year student in the Department of Ocean Engineering and Naval Architecture, was found hanging in his hostel room.

On January 12, the body of a third-year undergraduate student Shaon Malik was found in his hostel room.

In June 2024, Devika Pillai, a fourth-year student of biotechnology and biochemical engineering had died by suicide.

IIT Kharagpur authorities said the institute has counsellors 24x7 hours to help students fight any stress and depression. After April 20, the institute put up barcodes on the door of every boarder which can be scanned by any boarder during moments of acute mental stress for immediate counselling in privacy.

"A committee is being formed to explore the circumstances and reason behind such tragedies and the committee will make its recommendations in three days," Acting Director Amit Patra had told PTI earlier.

"The well-being, happiness and academic success of our students matter to us. They are our children," he had said.

(With PTI inputs)