The matter came to light when some students spotted his body outside Hostel No. 17 and alerted the authorities, who promptly informed the police. Police, along with senior officials from the institute, rushed to the spot and sent the victim to Hiranandani Hospital, but he was declared dead on arrival
The deceased had been a student on the campus since 2022. REPRESENTATIONAL PIC/ISTOCK
A 22-year-old student of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) was declared dead after he allegedly fell from a hostel building on the Powai campus. According to the Powai Police, who are investigating the case, the incident came to light in the early hours of Saturday. While the exact time of death will be confirmed after the post-mortem report, doctors’ preliminary examination suggests he died between 2 am and 2.30 am, police said.
The matter came to light when some students spotted his body outside Hostel No. 17 and alerted the authorities, who promptly informed the police. Police, along with senior officials from the institute, rushed to the spot and sent the victim to Hiranandani Hospital, but he was declared dead on arrival. His body was then sent to Rajawadi Hospital for post-mortem examination, officials said.
The deceased student, a resident of South Delhi, was pursuing a BTech degree at IIT Bombay and had been on campus since October 2022, police sources said. IIT Bombay officials confirmed that he was enrolled in the Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science (MEMS). He had recently completed his third year and was now entering his final year. While police, for now, have declared the death accidental, an investigation has been launched to determine the reason for the student’s demise.
The institute has issued a statement on X, stating that the deceased’s family were informed and they are on their way. Expressing condolences to the family, the statement added, “The untimely death has shocked us to the core, and we share the grief. It is very unfortunate that a promising career came to a premature end in such a manner. His death has saddened the entire community on the IIT campus.”
Senior police officials told Sunday mid-day that prima facie, the deceased student was reportedly under the influence of alcohol. During the panchnama, police learnt that on Friday night, the student and his friends had gone to the terrace of their hostel, a 10-storey building with the terrace on the top floor. They had ordered food and allegedly consumed alcohol together. However, during questioning, the friends stated that they had all left the terrace before 1 am, while the deceased chose to stay back, assuring them he would leave shortly. “Based on their statements, there is no indication of foul play at this stage.
We will also be speaking to his family to understand if he had been under any kind of stress,” a senior official said. Officials confirmed that no suicide note was found on the deceased or on the terrace where he was last seen. “His room will be searched to check if he left behind a note or any evidence suggesting foul play,” an official said. Meanwhile, police will also be recording statements of his hostel mates, teaching staff, friends on and off campus, family members, and campus counsellors to determine if he was under any distress.
According to students, the Student Wellness Centre at the institute made counsellors available at five different hostels on the Powai campus. The students were also urged to approach the IIT-B hospital or a confidential 24x7 helpline in case they experienced acute distress.
Suicide Helplines
Samaritans Mumbai (Monday to Friday from 10 am to 4 pm)
84229-84527
Connecting NGO (From 10 am to 8 pm)
9922004305/ 9922001122
Snehi (From 10 am to 10 pm)
9376804102
1 Life: 7893078930
Aasra: 9820466726
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