IIT Madras suicide: Students protest in campus demanding suspension of PhD supervisor

Chennai: The suicidal death of a PhD student at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), on March 31, 2023 has erupted protests at the Premiere institute.

The students are protesting demanding a suspension of the alleged Ph.D. supervisor until the enquiry is complete. Posters have come up across campus with the student’s photo demanding justice.

Earlier in a e-mail to IIT Madras, the deceased brother has alleged PhD guide for the suicide of his brother.

The IIT student uploaded a Whatsapp status on March 31, and died by hanging in his room outside the varsity.

As per various media reports, hundreds of students gathered at the central point on campus, the Gajendra circle, and began their protest overnight on April 11. They shared their demands in a meeting with IIT-M’s director V Kamakoti, and resumed the protest again at 6 pm on April 12.

“The guide shouldn’t be involved in the inquiry process. From the students’ side, we request the suspension of the guide.” Secondly, they want immunity of the students involved in the inquiry against the guide. External retired judges should be involved in the inquiry committee to gain their trust, the students added.

We scholars mentioned that we don’t have any trust in the inquiry procedure being conducted by the internal committee as well as the police department,” said a note shared by the students. “Several worries with respect to the supervisor threatening the students of the lab not to disclose any details of the incident have been discussed at the protest.”

FPJ had reported on April 6 that the deceased brother has made serious allegations against the supervisor, stating, "On 31 March, at 9 AM, Sachin left for his lab as he had a scheduled meeting with his guide. After the meeting ends he sat in a chair for some time and then left the lab at around 11:30 AM, at last he put the Whatsapp stuatus at 12:02 Noon."

According to the Police, his WhatsApp status message read “I am sorry, not good enough,” before he ended his life.