The body of Devika Pillai, a third-year student at IIT Kharagpur, was found hanging in her hostel room on Monday, police reported. Pillai, 21, was a student in the Department of Biotechnology.
A senior police officer confirmed the tragic discovery, stating, "The female student was found hanging from the ceiling of the hostel building. Whether it is a case of suicide or something else is yet to be ascertained. We have started an investigation into the death."
Initially, police had reported that the student was a fourth-year student, but this was later corrected.
The body has been sent to Kharagpur Sub-Divisional Hospital for a post-mortem examination, the officer added.
In a statement, IIT Kharagpur confirmed Pillai’s death, saying she was found hanging in the Sarojini Naidu/Indira Gandhi Hall premises in the morning.
"With a sense of utter shock, the students, staff, and faculty members of IIT Kharagpur deeply mourn the sudden loss of Devika Pillai… She was found hanging in her Sarojini Naidu/Indira Gandhi Hall premises on the morning of June 17, 2024. Upon discovery, campus security and medical teams were immediately alerted. District police authorities and her family have been informed," a spokesperson of the institute maintained.
When asked if it was a case of suicide or if foul play could be involved, the institute spokesperson said, "The police are conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Pillai's death. The institute is fully cooperating with the authorities."
The institute recalled Pillai as an academically gifted student with a promising future in biosciences and biotechnology. She was the general secretary for social and cultural activities in Sarojini Naidu/Indira Gandhi Hall and was pursuing a summer internship under the Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology.
"IIT Kharagpur is committed to the well-being and mental health of its students. We have a range of support services available, including counselling and mental health resources, and we urge students to utilize these services whenever needed," the spokesperson added.
Background of past incident casts shadow over IIT Kharagpur
Notably, a probe revealed that IIT Kharagpur student Faizan Ahmed, who was found dead in a hostel room two years ago, did not commit suicide but was, in fact, murdered.
Faizan, a third-year mechanical engineering student, was discovered lifeless in room C-205 of the Lala Lajpat Rai Hostel on October 14, 2022. It was not his own room.
His family approached the Calcutta High Court, seeking the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the case. Faizan’s parents, Salim and Rehana Ahmed, claimed their son was murdered and accused the police and IIT-Kharagpur authorities of attempting to label it as suicide.
Subsequently, the HC ordered a second autopsy after exhuming Faizan's body.
An external forensic expert appointed by the Calcutta High Court informed the SIT that Faizan was "shot in the neck, stabbed, and hit in the chest with a heavy weapon."
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