The dean of academic affairs (DoAA) of Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati has put in his papers following protests by students after the death of a 3rd year student on Monday allegedly due to suicide.
According to authorities, the dean, KV Krishna, resigned on Tuesday night, but the institute has yet to decide on it.
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“As for the Dean who has sent his resignation, the institute authorities have received his resignation, and we are discussing this internally. A decision will be taken soon,” IIT-Guwahati mentioned in a statement issued on Wednesday.
Protests by students started after discovery the body of a 3rd year BTech student of computer science from Uttar Pradesh in his hostel room on Monday. Police have ruled out foul play and said that prima facie it looked like suicide.
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This was the fourth case of death of a student in the premier institute this year. A 24-year-old MTech student from Uttar Pradesh was found dead in her hostel room on August 9. Police didn’t reveal anything about their investigation.
On April 10, a 20-year-old student from Bihar was found dead hostel While the institute’s authorities claimed he died by suicide, his parents alleged he was ragged and murdered and demanded a high-level probe into the matter.
On January 1, a 21-year-old student from Telangana died after a New Year celebration on the campus. Police said she was taken to the hospital after she fell unconscious where doctors declared her dead.
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“IIT Guwahati acknowledges the deep distress caused by the recent unfortunate incident of a student death on campus and understands the concerns of the student community. The well-being of everyone remains our top priority, and we are fully committed to fostering
a safe and supportive environment for all,” said the IIT-Guwahati statement.
It mentioned that the issues raised by the students are being taken seriously and the Director had a one-on-one discussion with the students on Tuesday for several hours and has taken cognizance of their issues and concerns.
The institute added that to address the concerns raised by students and prevent future tragedies, IIT-Guwahati is taking some immediate measures like expanding wellbeing services, ensuring that everyone has access to professional support, including specialized
counsellors for both crisis intervention and long-term assistance.
“We are establishing peer support groups, offering everyone a safe and confidential space to share their experiences and receive support from their peers. A comprehensive review of our safety and emergency response protocols is underway,” the statement read.
Disclaimer: Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. A few major suicide prevention helpline numbers in India are 011-23389090 from Sumaitri (Delhi-based) and 044-24640050 from Sneha Foundation (Chennai-based).
