23-year-old IIT Delhi student dies by suicide, body found by parents

In a heart-wrenching incident, a 23-year-old student of the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi took his own life at his residence in east Delhi's Vivek Vihar area. The tragedy unfolded while the young student's parents were absent from their home, according to authorities.

The deceased, identified as Panav Jain, was a fourth-year B Tech student at the institute. His lifeless body was discovered by his parents at approximately 9 pm on October 31, after they returned from their evening walk, law enforcement officials confirmed.

Reports suggest that Panav had used a dupatta (scarf) to hang himself from a weight-lifting rod installed within their residence. Desperate efforts by his parents led to Panav being rushed to Pushpanjali Hospital. Tragically, the medical team at the hospital declared him brought dead.

Panav's father, in a statement to the police, disclosed that his son had been grappling with stress and depression over the past several months. The young student had been actively seeking treatment for his depression. No suicide note was discovered at the scene, and a thorough investigation into the matter is currently underway, as authorities aim to piece together the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

This lamentable incident comes in the wake of a similar tragedy at IIT Kharagpur last month, where another student was found hanging in his hostel room. The victim's father expressed deep concern over the mounting stress levels experienced by students at IITs. He raised pertinent questions about the support systems in place, stating, "Why is there so much stress among students in IITs?" The grieving father revealed that his son was under immense pressure due to an impending project deadline.

"My son was good at studies. In the three years of his engineering course, he did not have any backlog. But he was depressed over this project. He had spoken to his professor but was dismissed and asked to complete the project in time. I spoke to him last on October 16. He told me he was studying and would speak later. This is not about ragging, but they (IIT) could have helped him," he remarked. The student was discovered hanging in his room on October 18.

These tragic occurrences have ignited discussions on the pressing issue of managing and alleviating stress among students within the IIT community.

(With PTI inputs)

Also Read: Tragic death of IIT Kharagpur student sparks concerns over academic stress, father questions institute