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Why are students committing suicide at IIT Kharagpur? Supreme Court

A Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan asked the institute whether it has given a thought to the issue.

Ritwik Choudhury

The Supreme Court on Monday took a prima facie unfavourable view of the suicide of students at Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur)

A Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan asked the institute whether it has given a thought to the issue.

"What is wrong with IIT KGP? Why are students committing suicide? Have you given a thought to it," the Bench asked.

The counsel appearing for the institute replied that a 10-member committee has been constituted to deal with the issue.

"There is a counselling centre. They are identifying students facing mental health problems. They have given a phone number which can be called anytime," the counsel said.

Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan
What is wrong with IIT Kharagpur? Why are students committing suicide?
Supreme Court

The Court was hearing a suo motu case concerning student suicides at IIT Kharagpur and Sharda University. It had earlier sought responses from both institutions over the incidents.

During the hearing today, the Court was informed that first information reports (FIRs) have been lodged in connection with both the incidents.

Hence, it said that it will not make any further observations and the probe can continue.

"We are informed that so far as the incident which occurred at Sharda University the FIR came to be lodged by the father of the deceased and the investigation is in progress let it proceed in accordance with law. So far as the incident which occurred at IIT Kharagpur is concerned, we are informed that within 30 mins the management learned of the suicide they lodged a complaint in the police station. Investigation in this regard is also in progress. Let the investigation continue in the right direction," the Bench stated in its order.

It then proceeded to post the case for further consideration after four weeks.

During the hearing, the Court was also told that a student died by suicide at IIT Delhi on June 4 but an FIR has not yet been registered on the same.

The Court then said that the issue be taken up with the Amicus Curiae.

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