Kolkata, IIT-Kharagpur has initiated the method for formation of a committee to look into the elements behind the latest “unnatural death” of an undergraduate scholar in hostel and different comparable instances previously, a high institute official mentioned on Saturday.
IIT-Kharagpur in strategy of forming committee to look at elements behind college students’ unnatural deaths
The phrases of reference and composition of the panel can be introduced in two-three days, the institute’s Appearing Director Amit Patra instructed PTI.
“The committee will examine the institutional support system and environment for hostel boarders in the context of recent tragedies and whatever else needs to be done,” he said.
Asked if the mother and brother of the deceased student wrote to IIT-Kharagpur authorities demanding an independent probe into his death, Patra said, “Sure, they’ve urged the institute to look into the circumstances resulting in the incident, and the formation of the committee is a step to handle this challenge.”
Aniket Walkar, a fourth-year student of the Department of Ocean Engineering and Naval Architecture, was found hanging in his hostel room on April 20.
“It’s not a case of demand. They’ve written to us itemizing their views on the matter, and we’re within the strategy of addressing the problems as we misplaced certainly one of our kids. We’re with the household of their second of grief,” Patra mentioned.
The household of Walkar, who hailed from Gondia district in Maharashtra, had referred to as for an intensive investigation into the loss of life after visiting the campus.
Patra mentioned the institute authorities have prolonged all potential assist to the police, which has been investigating into the loss of life of Walker.
“The well-being, happiness and academic success of our students matter to us. They are our children,” he mentioned.
That is the second “unnatural death” of a scholar on the campus this yr.
On January 12, the physique of a third-year undergraduate scholar was present in his hostel room and in June 2024, a fourth-year scholar of biotechnology and biochemical engineering had died allegedly by suicide.
Amongst different measures, within the wake of those deaths, a bar code had just lately been put up behind the door of each hostel inmate, who can scan it to get help in instances of acute melancholy, officers mentioned.