Concerns Rise at IIT Kanpur as PhD Student Found Dead In Hostel Room

IIT Kanpur: A tragic incident unfolded as a PhD student from IIT Kanpur was found dead in her hostel room. This marks the third reported case of suspected suicide at IIT Kanpur this month. Check Details here 

IIT Kanpur: In a tragic incident, a 29-year-old PhD student at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, specializing in chemical engineering, was found dead in her hostel room. Hailing from Dumka in Jharkhand, Priyanka Jaiswal had recently joined the institute on December 29 last year. This was the third suicide in the IIT-K campus in a month.

On X, APPSC IIT Bombay posted, "3rd suicide in @IITKanpur within a month. These institutions are becoming 'graveyards of eminence'. We need institutions of empathy where students are supported and nurtured, not harassed and killed. The administration of these institutions should be held accountable." 

As per IE reports, in a statement, IIT-Kanpur said, "With profound grief, IIT Kanpur mourns the untimely and unfortunate demise of a PhD student Priyanka Jaiswal, who joined the Department of Chemical Engineering of the Institute last month (December 2023). She was found dead in her hostel room this afternoon. "

They further added, "A police forensic team visited the campus to review the reason for the death. The Institute is awaiting the police investigation to determine the likely cause of the death. With Ms. Priyanka's passing away, the Institute lost a bright and promising young student."

Third Suicide at IIT Kanpur Within A Month 

On January 11, Vikas Kumar Meena, a 31-year-old second-year M.Tech student, reportedly took his own life by hanging from the ceiling fan in his hostel room. This tragic incident occurred after he was purportedly "temporarily" prohibited from continuing with his course. Earlier, on December 19, Pallavi Chilka, a 34-year-old postdoctoral researcher, also hung herself from the ceiling fan in her second-floor hostel room on the institute's campus.

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