The death of a 21-year-old student has ignited outrage at the Indian Institute of Technology, IIT-Guwahati, with friends accusing the administration of insensitivity toward both students and their families. A large protest broke out on campus last evening, as students claimed that grades have taken precedence over their well-being. The student, hailing from Uttar Pradesh, was discovered dead in his hostel room, marking the fourth such incident at the esteemed institute this year. Allegations have surfaced that students were initially prevented from forcing open the hostel door when the body was first discovered.
In an interview with NDTV, a student alleged that they were prevented from notifying the deceased student’s family and that the administration attempted to delete videos from their phones.
“I saw through the ventilator my friend was hanging from the fan. The guards stopped us from breaking the door. It took almost 30 minutes before it could be opened. Whether he was alive or not wasn’t their concern,” he said requesting anonymity.
He stated that once the door was opened, security personnel prevented the nurse from checking the student’s pulse.
“We lost him, but the body was not brought down the entire night. It was taken down eight hours after the door was opened,” he added.
The student alleged the guards did nothing due to orders from the administration.
“The dean and chairperson of the Hostel Affairs Board came and stopped the students from informing the student’s family of the dead student and tried to delete video evidence of the situation,” said the student.
A response from the institute regarding this allegation is still awaited.
The incident triggered a large protest, with students raising concerns about the adequacy of the institute’s mental health and welfare support systems. The student’s body has been sent to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
In an official statement, a spokesperson for IIT-G expressed deep sorrow over the student’s death and offered condolences to his family and friends.
“IITG remains dedicated to prioritising the mental health and well-being of our student community during these challenging times,” the spokesperson further added.
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