IIT-Kharagpur PhD scholar found dead, fifth suspected suicide this year

IIT-Kharagpur PhD scholar found dead, fifth suspected suicide this year

A 27-year-old PhD scholar at IIT-Kharagpur was found dead in his hostel room on Saturday, marking the fifth suspected suicide at the premier institute in 2025, officials confirmed.

The deceased, identified as Harsh Kumar Pandey, hailed from Ranchi and was pursuing a doctorate in Mechanical Engineering. His body was discovered around 2 p.m. in B.R. Ambedkar Hall of Residence after repeated calls from his parents went unanswered.

According to police, hostel staff alerted authorities when they found Pandey’s door locked from the inside. Officers broke open the door and found him hanging from the ceiling. The body has been sent for post-mortem examination.

In a statement, IIT-Kharagpur expressed deep sorrow over the loss and announced the formation of a fact-finding committee to investigate the circumstances leading to the incident. An FIR has been lodged, and a police inquiry is underway, with the institute pledging full cooperation.

Director Prof. Suman Chakraborty expressed condolences, calling Pandey’s death a “profound loss to the IIT-Kharagpur community.” He added that the institute is committed to reviewing its mental health and support mechanisms for students and researchers.

The incident has once again drawn attention to the growing concerns over academic pressure and mental health challenges in India’s top engineering institutes.