Tragedy struck the Meerut Institute of Technology as a promising young techie from Bihar, Shivam Bhardwaj (20), was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his hostel room on Saturday. A second-year Bachelor of Technology student, Bhardwaj reportedly faced academic challenges, having struggled to pass five out of 12 subjects in his first year.
As reported by The Times Of India, the Partapur SHO, Jai Karan Singh, suggested that academic pressures may have driven him to take this extreme step, despite immediate efforts to rush him to a medical facility.
As news of Bhardwaj's death spread, students gathered, alleging that he had faced additional pressure from the college administration over insufficient attendance. They claimed the college insisted on him filing an affidavit or leaving the campus.
In response, the college administration refuted these claims, stating that Bhardwaj had a satisfactory attendance record of over 75% and lived in close proximity to the classroom. They suggested that the allegations were a misrepresentation by individuals who failed to meet the required attendance criteria.
Ajay Chaudhary, the institute's media head, told TOI that CCTV footage indicated Bhardwaj, who shared a room with two others, used a plastic thread to hang himself after his roommates left for classes.
Despite the absence of a suicide note, Bhardwaj had posted a message on a WhatsApp group a day before the incident, advising against stressing over studies. Following an autopsy, his body was sent to his native village, and no complaints have been filed in the case as of now.
