A 19-year-old student at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee allegedly died by suicide in his hostel room, police said on Friday.
The student identified as Ayush Rajauria, was found hanging around 1 am. Rajauria was a second-year student in the BS-MS program in Mathematics and Computing under the Department of Mathematics, and hailed from Ghaziabad.
A note purportedly written by the student was recovered from the hostel room in which it was mentioned that no one should be blamed for his death.
According to police, the incident came to light around midnight on Thursday after Kuldeep Singh Negi, a security officer at IIT Roorkee, informed the Kotwali Roorkee police that a student had died by suicide in room number BS 10 on the second floor of Govind Bhawan hostel.
Station House Officer (SHO) Pradeep Bisht, accompanied by a police team and a field unit, reached the spot. After the door failed to open, it was forced open with the assistance of security guards. The student’s body was found hanging from a ceiling fan with a bedsheet, police said.
The body was subsequently sent to the Civil Hospital in Roorkee for a post-mortem examination. Police also examined the student’s laptop but found no suspicious information so far. The scene was videographed as part of the investigation, they added.
The police said the student’s family had been informed and an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death was underway.
In a statement, IIT Roorkee expressed grief over the student’s death and extended condolences to his family.
Sonika Srivastava, the institute’s media cell in-charge, said the circumstances surrounding the incident were under police investigation.
“The institute is extending its full cooperation to the authorities and remains committed to providing all necessary support to the family. The institute stands with the campus community and will provide all necessary support to those affected by this unfortunate incident.
The institute has also appealed to everyone to respect the privacy of the bereaved family and to refrain from any speculation regarding the incident,” Srivastava said.
(With inputs from PTI)
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Tele Manas - 14416 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)