IIT-Kharagpur student dies in campus fall; third such death this year
An 18-year-old second-year mechanical engineering student from Rajasthan died on Thursday after falling from the third floor of the Nalanda complex at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur. Police described the death as unnatural and have initiated an investigation.
The student, who resided at the Gokhale Hall hostel, had gone to attend a class at the Nalanda complex in the afternoon. Around 3 p.m., a cleaning staff member found him lying on the ground in front of the building with serious injuries. He was rushed to the campus hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Bushara Bano, Additional Superintendent of Police, Kharagpur Division, said: “The death is unnatural. Prima facie, he fell from the third floor of the Nalanda complex. We are investigating what exactly happened. We are also speaking to his friends and faculty to understand if there was any change in his behaviour. No note was found among his belongings.”
After an autopsy on Friday, the body was handed over to the student's family members.
This is the third death of an engineering student at IIT-Kharagpur this year. On April 18, a 22-year-old fourth-year M.Tech student of Electronics and Electrical Communication was found dead in his room at the Madanmohan Malaviya Hostel. On April 28, a 21-year-old third-year mechanical engineering student died after falling from the terrace of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Hall of Residence.
In 2025, the institute reported at least seven student deaths, of which five were confirmed as suicides. The recurring incidents prompted the Supreme Court in May last year to seek a report on student deaths and ask whether an FIR had been registered. The Court expressed concern over the rising number of suicides at IIT-Kharagpur and in the coaching hub of Kota.
In response, IIT-Kharagpur established an integrated mental health support system and a 10-member committee comprising psychologists, legal professionals, counsellors, alumni, and educationists. Director Suman Chakraborty also launched a ‘campus mother’ programme and an AI-driven student welfare app called HEART. However, experts have criticised the ‘campus mother’ initiative as a “gendered” and “surface-level intervention”.
The institute has urged students to seek help if they experience distress. The suicide prevention helpline DISHA can be reached at 0471-2552056 or 1056.
