IIT student found dead in hostel room in Guwahati; students protest outside campus

Guwahati: Many students of IIT Guwahati on Monday staged protest outside the campus after computer science student was found dead inside his hostel room.

Police said preliminary investigation suggested it to be a suicide case. The protesting students, however, said the victim was mentally disturbed due to low attendance owing to his poor health condition.

The students shouted slogans such as "we want justice," "save lives over grades," "mental health is a right, not privilege," beside others.

The 21-year-old student, hailing from Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh, was in his third year.

Police said the student was alone inside the hostel room and he was found dead on Monday. Post mortem of the body was conducted and police was waiting the report. "We suspect he died by suicide but post-mortem report may give us confirmation," a police source said.

Second case in one month:

This was the second such incident at the IIT Guwahati in the past one month. An M Tech student, also hailing from Uttar Pradesh, was found dead, almost in similar situation inside his hostel room, on August 9.

The IIT Guwahati issued a statement following Monday's incident but did not divulge details of the circumstances in which the student was found dead on Monday. The institute did not talk about the protests also.

The institute said, "The well-being of our students is our top priority. We are committed to providing support and resources to help our students navigate the challenges they may face. We encourage our student community to reach out to our support networks. IIT Guwahati is working closely with the police to investigate the circumstances surrounding this tragic event."

"IIT Guwahati reaffirms its commitment to fostering a supportive and safe environment for all students. Extended counselling support is available, enabling students to meet with counsellors after class hours if needed. To ensure easy access to mental health resources, QR codes are displayed on hostel room doors, connecting students directly to support contacts. Our Welfare Board facilitates a Peer Mentorship Program and organizes engaging activities that promote community interaction," It further said.