KIIT student’s death: Arnab Mukherjee’s father accuses university of negligence

With mystery still shrouding the death of KIIT University student Arnab Mukherjee in Bhubaneswar, his father Jagadish Mukherjee on Wednesday brought serious allegations against the university administration, blaming the institute for negligence and mismanagement.

Alleging that the authorities failed in their responsibility to ensure students’ safety, Jagadish has demanded a thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his son's tragic death.

Also Read: Another KIIT University student dies in Bhubaneswar; body found near under-construction building 

Father Alleges Mismanagement 

Expressing deep anguish, the father of the deceased student, Jagadish Mukherjee stated that his son did not die by suicide, contradicting any unofficial claims suggesting otherwise. He emphasized that there were several inconsistencies in the hostel warden’s statements and the actual sequence of events, raising suspicions. He has also accused the university management of gross negligence, stating that students are placed under the care and responsibility of KIIT University, but they are not given adequate attention or protection.

"I sent my son to KIIT with full trust in the institution, believing he would be safe under their supervision. However, their negligence has taken his life," Mukherjee said. He further asserted that if such lapses in responsibility continue, parents from West Bengal and other states may hesitate to send their children to KIIT for higher education.

The deceased student’s father said, “My wife did not talk to him (son) thinking that he might have slept after dinner. The next day, my wife talked with KIIT officials and they told her they were also searching for him. As I work 60 km away from my house, after getting information about this from my wife, I again called the KIIT varsity reception. They told me that the officials of the varsity were searching for him. Later, after 10 minutes, I got a call from them stating that my son is in hospital and is in critical condition,” said Jagadish.

Whatever happened, the KIIT authorities should have checked the biometrics if my son had not returned at night to the hostel, he said.

“Whatever happened to us should not happen to any other parents. The KIIT officials have the contact numbers of all parents. I think that the KIIT varsity had some responsibility to inform us at least, but they didn’t do so. The police are cooperating with us. I don’t think that my son can commit suicide. Secondly, my son was so simple that there was no reason to murder him. I am yet to find any logic in the entire incident,” he added.

Call for a Transparent Investigation

Demanding justice, Jagadish has called for a detailed inquiry into the incident to uncover the truth. 

KIIT University Yet to Respond

Despite the gravity of the accusations, KIIT authorities are yet to issue any official statement regarding Mukherjee’s claims. The silence from the administration has further fuelled speculation and increased demands for accountability.

What Cops Say?

Inspector-in-charge of Mancheswar Police Station, Mrutyunjay Swain said, “We had visited the spot along with the forensic team. In the presence of the Magistrate, the autopsy will be conducted. We have interrogated the hostel warden and the security guard of the building. The CCTV footage of various locations is also being examined.”