Chennai: A second year BTech student at the IIT Madras, who is a native of Maharashtra, allegedly died by suicide at his hostel room on Friday. The institute has been bogged by suicides of students in recent weeks. A few weeks ago, a research scholar had ended his life.
Police said, Kedar Suresh Chougule, aged 20, was staying at the hostel in the IIT Madras campus and pursuing his second year Chemcial Engineering course.
On Friday morning, while his roommates left, he remained in the hostel. In the afternoon, when the roommates did not receive any response to frequent knocks on the hostel door, they informed the IIT Madras authorities. Upon breaking open the door, they found Chougule dead.
Suicide note found
The Kotturpuram police said he had left behind a suicide note but did not reveal its contents.
“We are deeply anguished to convey the untimely passing away of an undergraduate student from the Chemical Engineering Department in his hostel room. The Institute has lost one of its own, and the professional community has lost a good student. The reason for the demise is unknown. Police are investigating. The parents have been informed,” the IIT Madras said in a statement.
It added, “IIT Madras is taking all possible measures to proactively identify and help students under stress. We will continue to keep strengthening these measures.”
