IIT Kanpur PhD Student Dies By Suicide, 3rd Case In Less Than One Year

IIT Kanpur issues an official communique on the unfortunate demise of Ms. Pragati Kharya, an IIT Kanpur PhD student in the Department of Earth Sciences. Ms Jaiswal, a native of Jharkhand’s Dumka allegedly ended her life by hanging herself from a ceiling fan of her room, as per the police reports.

The official statement said, “With profound grief, IIT Kanpur mourns the tragic and untimely demise of Ms. Pragati Kharya, a PhD student in the Department of Earth Sciences, earlier today. Ms. Kharya joined the PhD program in December 2021”.

It further added, “A police forensic team has visited the campus to investigate the circumstances of the death. The Institute is awaiting the results of the police investigation to determine the cause. With Ms. Pragati Kharya’s passing, the institute has lost a promising young researcher. The institute extends its deepest condolences and prays for strength and comfort to her family and friends in this time of great loss”.

Read also: 3 Suicides In 6 Months, IIT Guwahati Announces New Measures For Students’ Well-Being

However, the possible reason behind the scholar’s suicide has not been revealed and reportedly, the forensic team was called to the spot. Anything could be said after the preliminary probe and completing other formalilities, Additional DCP Akash Patel reportedly said to PTI.

This is reportedly the third case in less than one year. In January this year, Vikar Kumar Meena, a 31 year old M.Tech student allegedly hanged himself from the ceiling fan of his hostel room. Mr. Meena was reportedly barred from continuting the course ‘temporarily’.

On December 19, 2023, a postdoctoral researcher Pallavi Chilka (34) also hanged herself in a similar manner in her hostel room in the campus.