IIIT Ranchi Students Protest Over Suicide of First-Year Student Amid Allegations of Negligence

Protests have erupted at the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) in Ranchi, following the tragic death by suicide of a first-year student, Adity Kumar, who was discovered hanging from a ceiling fan in his hostel room on Saturday. This incident has sparked a wave of unrest among the student body, who have accused the institute of negligence and a lack of timely medical intervention.

Adity, hailing from Bhagalpur district in Bihar, was reportedly found unconscious in his room and succumbed to his injuries while being rushed to the hospital. Eyewitness accounts from students suggest that the delay in response from the institute may have contributed to the unfortunate outcome. On Sunday morning, students gathered for a protest on a road adjacent to the hostel, demanding the resignation of the institute’s director.

The demonstration escalated as police arrived to disperse the crowd after two hours. Ranchi’s Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sanjeev Besra, visited the campus to oversee the situation and confirmed that an investigation is underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the student’s death. He mentioned that preliminary findings indicate a potential link between the suicide and issues related to examinations, though the exact motives remain unclear.

Students have expressed their outrage, stating that timely medical assistance could have saved Adity’s life. One first-year engineering student remarked, “He could have survived if he had been taken to the hospital on time. But an ambulance was not available immediately.” This sentiment reflects a broader concern about the mental health and well-being of students within the institution.

The protests at IIIT Ranchi have drawn attention to the pressing need for improved mental health support and crisis management systems in educational institutions across India. Many students are now calling for not only the resignation of the director but also comprehensive reforms to ensure that such tragedies do not occur in the future. As the investigation continues and the community mourns, the focus remains on addressing the systemic issues that contribute to student distress and the importance of timely intervention in such critical situations.

Source: scroll.in