The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Kharagpur, West Bengal, has been left reeling after two deaths occurred within three days on its campus. The incidents have shocked the prestigious institution.
Despite the proximity of the deaths, IIT Kharagpur Director Amit Patra emphasised that the two cases were unrelated. “It’s not that one after another (suicide is happening at IIT Kharagpur). Yes, that two suicides happened within two days. But these cases are not related to each other,” Patra told the media on Sunday.
“One is a student and another was a staff. He had different problems and we don’t know yet (what the student’s issue was),” he added.
On Sunday, Shaon Malik, a 21-year-old third-year electrical engineering student, was found hanging in his room at the Azad Hall of Residence. His parents, who were visiting him, discovered his body. When he failed to respond to their repeated knocks and calls, they, along with hostel staff, forced open the door.
The director also told the media that Malik was a highly meritorious student who also used to be good at co-curricular activities. He was an active member of Druheen — Bengali Technology Dramatics Society, IIT Kharagpur.
“It’s unfortunate that a student of our electrical engineering department who used to be a topper-level student with scores of 9 CGPA and an all-rounder who also used to take part in Bengali theatre passed away,” the director said. “I can’t imagine what his parents are going through right now.”
The police have launched an investigation into Malik’s death and are conducting a viscera examination following the post-mortem.
Malik’s death came just two days after the body of Sakir Ali Mollah, a 30-year-old junior technician in the chemistry department, was found hanging in the staff quarters on campus.
These incidents come amid a troubling history of similar cases at IIT Kharagpur. In June last year, another student, Devika Pillai, was found hanging on campus. In 2022, the semi-decomposed body of Faizan Ahmed, another student, was discovered, with a subsequent autopsy revealing a gunshot wound. The investigation into Ahmed’s case remains ongoing.
