A first-year student of the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Allahabad, allegedly died by suicide at the hostel campus on Saturday night, police said on Sunday.
The incident in Jhalwa area of Prayagraj took place just a day before the specially-abled student from Telangana, Rahul Madala Chaitanya, was to celebrate his 21st birthday.
Police said no suicide note was recovered from the spot but a preliminary probe suggested that Rahul was upset after he failed in an examination. The institute said a committee has been formed to probe the incident and directed to submit a report within seven days.
According to the police, Rahul jumped from the fifth floor of his hostel at the IIIT campus at around 11.55pm on Saturday. “Upon receiving information, a police team rushed to the spot and took him to the hospital where he succumbed to injuries,” Dhoomanganj Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ajendra Yadav said.
It seemed the student was upset for the past two to three days after he failed to clear an examination, police said, adding that a detailed probe is underway.
Rahul’s Last Message To Mother
The student’s family arrived in Prayagraj from Telangana on Sunday afternoon.
Rahul’s mother Swarnalatha said she last heard from her son on Saturday night. “He had sent a message, asking me to take care of his younger brother and father,” she said.
“I got scared on seeing the message and called him but his phone was off. Then I called his friend who went to check on him. His friend asked another student who was passing by about Rahul’s whereabouts. He then abruptly disconnected the call. He called me 10 minutes later, saying my son is being taken to the hospital,” she added.
Swarnalatha said she learnt about the suicide on reaching the campus on Sunday afternoon. She said the institute informed her that he had skipped classes for six months. “But the administration never informed us anything about this earlier,” she said.
AIR Rank Of 52 In JEE Mains Under EWS Category
Rahul was a good student and had secured an All India Rank of 52 in the Economically Weaker Sections category in the JEE Mains exam last year, she said. She added that since her son could not speak, he would often video call her.
Rahul’s father runs a tiffin business in Telangana. The student was the elder of the two sons.
Swarnalatha said her son would only study, watch television and browse his phone. “He did not like roaming around. We used to go for speech therapy to help us both communicate. He used to share if he ate anything nice or anything related to his classes. He used to chat,” she said.
“On Thursday night, he had asked for Rs 500. I had sent him the money,” she added.
The students staged a protest over the suicide.
“Legal action is being taken and peace and order is maintained at the spot,” Mr Yadav said.
IIIT Allahabad Forms Probe Panel
In a statement, IIIT, Allahabad said a three-member committee has been formed to conduct a thorough probe into the incident. The panel comprises Director-in-Charge GC Nandi, Professor OP Vyas and Dean Pawan Chakraborty (SA). The committee has been directed to submit a report to Director Mukul Sharad Sutaone within a week.
The institute said it has also recommended the formation of a sub-committee comprising several members, mostly from the students’ community, to look into the matter.
In a separate statement, it said: “We understand that such moments are incredibly difficult for everyone. The institute is here to provide any necessary support to those affected. All faculty members and administration are available to help anyone in need of emotional or psychological support.”
(With inputs from Deepak Gambhir)
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