IIT Kanpur research scholar dies by suicide, 3rd case in a month

Priyanka Jaiswal was found dead in her hostel room on Wednesday. Earlier this month, another research scholar had committed suicide and a research faculty died by suicide in the third week of December.

Kanpur:A 29-year-old PhD scholar of IIT Kanpur allegedly died by suicide, police said on Thursday. This is the third such case at the premier institute in the last one month.

Priyanka Jaiswal, a PhD scholar was found dead at her hostel room in IIT Kanpur on Wednesday. No suicide note was recovered from the spot and police are yet to ascertain the reason as to why she took such a drastic step.

On getting information about the incident, Kalyanpur police station in-charge Dhananjay Pandey arrived at the campus. When cops reached room number 312 of hostel-4, they found the room locked from inside. After they broke open the room, they saw Priyanka lying on the floor unconscious. The forensic unit has been called to the spot.

ADCP West Akash Patel said that they received information at around 1 pm that a PhD scholar had died by suicide in her hostel room. "The SHO was sent to the campus along with a team. The forensic unit is collecting evidence from the spot and the body will be sent for post-mortem," Patel said. According to a senior officer, the reason behind the student's death has not been ascertained. Priyanka's friends and other boarders of the hotel would be questioned in this regard, he added.

This is the third suicide case at IIT Kanpur campus in the last one month. In the first week of January, another PhD scholar Vikas Meena from Meerut had committed suicide inside the campus. Prior to this, in the third week of December, Pallavi, a research faculty member who hailed from Odisha, died by suicide. Questions are now being raised on the working condition at IIT Kanpur.

Suicide is not a solution: If you are having suicidal thoughts or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences helpline - 9152987821 (available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm).

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