Tragedy at IIT-Kharagpur: Fourth-Year Student Found Dead

A fourth-year student at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Kharagpur was found dead in his student hostel, raising concerns about student safety on the campus.

The deceased was identified as K Kiran Chandra, a 21-year-old student from Telangana, pursuing studies in the electrical engineering department.

Discovery of the Tragic Incident

The tragic incident occurred on a Tuesday night, with institute sources reporting that Chandra was discovered dead by his fellow hostel-mates. Following the discovery, he was quickly rushed to the hospital within the institute campus, but tragically, he was declared brought dead.

Police Investigation

Local law enforcement registered a case of unnatural death and sent Chandra’s body for post-mortem at the Midnapore Medical College and Hospital. The police’s initial assumption is that it may be a case of suicide, and they are actively investigating the matter.

IIT-Kharagpur’s Official Statement

In response to the incident, IIT-Kharagpur released an official statement expressing deep sorrow over Chandra’s sudden demise.

The institute mentioned that Chandra was a fourth-year dual degree student in the Department of Electrical Engineering and a boarder of the Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Hall of Residence.

Sequence of Events

According to the institute’s account of events, Chandra had been with two of his roommates in their hostel room until approximately 7:30 PM on the fateful day. Subsequently, his roommates left for academic activities.

Later, around 8:30 PM, fellow boarders of the LBS Hall noticed that his room was locked from the inside. They forced the door open and discovered Chandra.

The security and other students immediately transported him to the B C Roy Technology Hospital. Despite the doctors’ best efforts, Chandra was declared dead around 11:30 PM.

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Family Informed

The IIT-Kharagpur authorities ensured that Chandra’s family was notified and they arrived on the campus on the following morning.

Campus Safety Concerns

This unfortunate incident follows a series of student deaths on the IIT-Kharagpur campus over the past year. In October 2022, the mysterious death of Faizan Ahmed prompted investigations and court orders for a second post-mortem.

The case was connected to ragging. In June 2023, the campus was once again rocked by tragedy when the body of student Suriya Dipen was found under mysterious circumstances, with the police concluding it was a case of suicide.

The recurring incidents have sparked concerns about student safety and well-being within the institution, and there is likely to be increased scrutiny and calls for improvements in this regard.

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