A 21-year-old student was found dead on Tuesday in a hostel room at the Indian Institute of Madras campus. Police said it is case of a suicide.
Police sources said the victim has been identified as Vaipu Pushpak Sreesai, 21, a native of Cuddapah, Andhra Pradesh, who was pursuing third year of B. Tech-Electrical Engineering course.
He was staying with three roommates in Alaknanda hostel. He was depressed as he had arrears in examinations and apparently was not able to clear the papers, according to his classmates, said police.
He was absent from regular classes in the last week and was found dead in the hostel room in the forenoon on Tuesday. Kotturpuram police reached the spot and conducted an investigation. The body was sent to Government Royapettah Hospital for post-mortem.
This is the second incident reported from the campus in a month’s time. On February 14, Steven Sunny, a second year student of Master of Science from Maharashtra, was found dead in his room. The Institute expressed its condolences and added it stands united in grief along with the friends and family of the deceased student.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, IIT-M said post-COVID-19 has been a challenging environment and the Institute has been endeavouring to improve and sustain the well-being of the students/scholars, faculty and staff on campus while constantly evaluating the various support systems in place.
A standing Institute Internal Inquiry Committee, including elected student representatives, which has been recently constituted will look into such incidents, the statement said.
The parents of the student have been informed.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416. and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050)
