IIT-Delhi reconstitutes committee to probe MSc student’s suicide, protest enters 4th day

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi has reconstituted the external probe panel set up to examine the circumstances surrounding the death of a student, with retired Delhi High Court judge Mukta Gupta as its head, officials said on Thursday.

The development comes a day after former Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar, who was appointed as chair of the probe panel, recused himself from the committee, even as student protests continued on campus.

“A new panel has been constituted. Justice Mukta Gupta is the chairperson. The other members include Pratap Sharan, Head of Department of Psychiatry, AIIMS, New Delhi. Besides, two student representatives and the IIT-Delhi registrar will also be part of the external probe panel,” a senior official said.

IIT-Delhi had on Tuesday set up a five-member committee to investigate the circumstances that led to the death of the 31-year-old MSc Physics student. The student allegedly died by suicide after jumping from a building on the institute’s campus on August 22.

The development came after outraged students held protests on campus, prompting the administration to order the suspension of classes on Monday. “Kumar has recused himself from the panel citing personal reasons,” the official said.

Police have registered a case of abetment to suicide against unidentified persons, officials said.

According to preliminary inquiry, on August 22, the student entered the IIT-Delhi campus through the main gate around 8 am and subsequently went to the Lecture Hall Complex, where he took a lift to the sixth floor. He allegedly jumped from the front side of the building.

The student was rushed to the institute’s campus hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

A PCR call regarding the incident was received around 8.30 am at Kishangarh police station, following which a police team reached the campus. A crime team and a forensic science laboratory unit were also called to collect evidence.

A mobile phone found in the deceased’s pocket was seized and is being examined. As part of the investigation, police are also obtaining the student’s counselling records and other relevant information from the institute.