Last Updated:
The body has been sent to Kharagpur sub-divisional hospital for post-mortem, an official said. (Representative image)
A senior police officer said the 21-year-old student was identified as Devika Pillai. She was doing a summer internship under the Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology.
The body of a third-year IIT Kharagpur student was found hanging in her hostel room on Monday, police said. The student has been identified as Devika Pillai (21), a senior police official told PTI.
“The student was found hanging from the ceiling of the hostel building. It is yet to be ascertained whether it is a case of suicide or something else. We have started investigating the death,” the IPS officer said.
Police had earlier said that the student was a fourth year student.
The body has been sent to Kharagpur sub-divisional hospital for post-mortem, the official said.
Confirming the news, IIT Kharagpur said in a statement that Pillai, a third year student of the Department of Biotechnology, was found hanging from the ceiling of the Sarojini Naidu/Indira Gandhi (hostel) hall complex in the morning.
The statement said, “The students, staff and faculty members of IIT Kharagpur express their deep condolences on the sudden demise of Devika Pillai…. On the morning of June 17, 2024, she was found hanging in the Sarojini Naidu/Indira Gandhi Hall campus. On learning of the incident, the campus security and medical teams were immediately informed. District police officials have been informed. Her family has also been informed immediately.”
When asked if it was a case of suicide or foul play, the institute’s spokesperson said, “The police are thoroughly investigating the circumstances surrounding Pillai’s death. The institute is fully cooperating with the authorities.” Describing Pillai as an academically brilliant student, the institute said in a statement that she had a bright future in the field of bioscience and biotechnology. She was the social and cultural general secretary at Sarojini Naidu/Indira Gandhi Hall.
She was doing a summer internship under the Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology.
The spokesperson said, “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 access these services when needed.”
Disclaimer: If you or someone you know needs help, call any of these helplines: Aasra (Mumbai) 022-27546669, Sneha (Chennai) 044-24640050, Sumaitri (Delhi) 011-23389090, Kozhikode (Goa) 0832- 2252525, Jeevan (Jamshedpur) 065-76453841, Pratiksha (Kochi) 048-42448830, Maitri (Kochi) 0484-2540530, Roshni (Hyderabad) 040-66202000, Lifeline 033-64643267 (Kolkata)
Stay ahead with all exam result updates news18 website,
(This story has not been edited by AyraNews24x7 staff and is published from syndicated news agency feeds.) PTI,
