28-year-old PhD student found dead at IIT Kanpur, fourth case in one year

A PhD student at IIT Kanpur died by suicide, marking the fourth such incident in a year; police recovered a suicide note in which the student said that she held herself responsible for her death

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A 28-year-old PhD student at Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-K)  died by suicide on Thursday in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, marking the fourth such case at the college within the past year.

The student, who was specialising in Earth Sciences, was found dead in her hostel room D-116 in Hall Number 4 during the night. The incident came to light on Thursday afternoon when her fellow students notified the authorities.

In a statement, IIT Kanpur expressed its sorrow, stating, "A police forensic team has visited the campus to investigate the circumstances of the death. The Institute is awaiting the results of the police investigation to determine the cause. With Pragati Kharya's passing, the institute has lost a promising young researcher."

"The institute extends its deepest condolences and prays for strength and comfort to her family and friends in this time of great loss," IIT Kanpur added.

According to a senior police official, officers found her room locked upon arrival. They had to break down the door to retrieve her body. A forensic team was called to gather evidence from the scene.

A note was discovered, in which the student indicated that she held herself responsible for her death. Additionally, authorities found her mobile phone in the room, which may provide insights into the reasons behind her suicide.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Kalyanpur) Abhishek Pandey said, “After forcing the door open, they discovered the woman's body hanging from the ceiling fan.”

The 28-year-old had previously earned her BSc from Hansraj College at Delhi University and her MSc from Bundelkhand University in Jhansi.

Suicide cases at IIT Kanpur

On January 18, a 29-year-old PhD student named Priyanka Jaiswal, who was pursuing a degree in chemical engineering, died by suicide in her locked hostel room. Just a week earlier, on January 11, a 31-year-old second-year MTech student, Vikas Kumar Meena, was found hanging from the ceiling fan in his hostel room, allegedly following a temporary suspension from his course.

Additionally, on December 19 last year, a 34-year-old postdoctoral researcher, Pallavi Chilka, was discovered hanging from the ceiling fan in her second-floor hostel room on campus.

(With PTI inputs)