A postgraduate student of Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) pursuing an M.S. in electrical engineering was found dead in his hostel room. The Kotturpuram police have filed a case, suspecting it to be a case of suicide, and are investigating. However, no suicide note has been recovered as yet, they said.
A police official of the Chennai City Police said the student was a native of Maharashtra. He stayed in a single occupancy room at the Mahanadhi hostel on the IIT-M campus. He did not come out of his room on Monday, the police said. So, the other students informed the warden and security personnel, who went in and found him dead in his room. The police are investigating.
In a statement on Tuesday evening the institute said, “IIT-M conveys the tragic and untimely passing away of a second year MS research scholar of the electrical engineering department on Monday.” The institute expressed “its sincere condolences and stands united in grief along with the friends and family of the deceased student.”
The statement said the institute endeavoured 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. The officials said the student’s parents had reached the city and it requested “everyone to please respect the privacy of the family at this unfortunate moment.”
(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.)
