A 22-year-old research scholar who was working as a project coordinator at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-M) was found dead on the campus on Thursday evening, according to reports. The police are suspecting it to be a case of suicide.
According to initial reports, a partially burnt body of a man in his mid-20s was found late Thursday night. It was only until this morning that the police identified the body.
According to a report, some students found the body near some bushes by the hockey field inside the campus at around 8 pm on Thursday. The information was passed on to the Kotturpuram police who rushed to the spot. The body was sent to the Royapettah Government Hospital for post mortem.
The partially burnt body of Unnikrishnan Nair, who hails from Ernakulam, Kerala, was found near the hockey ground on the campus.
The skin of the victim's face and some other parts were partially burnt, said police. According to cops, no suspicious material was found near the body.
Nair was a project coordinator in the IIT-M Institute since April 2021 and was living outside the campus. He visited the campus on Thursday morning.
Meanwhile, IIT-Madras has issued a statement over the scholar's death saying, “An unfortunate and tragic incident occurred yesterday at IIT Madras Campus, involving a temporary project staff. The project staff whose body was found had joined the Institute in April 2021 and was living outside the campus".
"We are shocked and deeply grieved, and convey our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the departed soul. The police is investigating the incident and the Institute is fully cooperating with the authorities”, it added.
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