Another student death at IIT-Kharagpur raises alarms: Fifth unnatural fatality in campus this year

A second-year electrical engineering student at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur has been found dead under mysterious circumstances, marking the fifth such unnatural death on the campus this year.

The student, identified as Chandradip Pawar, was found dead on Monday night, according to the local media reports. Pawar, a resident of Madhya Pradesh, was found unresponsive and was immediately shifted to the campus hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

This incident comes just four days after the death of Ritam Mondal, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student, whose body was found in his hostel room under similarly unclear circumstances on July 18, 2025.

As per information shared by the institute with the local police, Pawar had dinner on Monday night and subsequently took medication prescribed by a doctor. According to police sources, the tablet reportedly got lodged in his trachea (windpipe), leading to asphyxiation and death.

The body has been sent for post-mortem examination, and the exact cause of death will only be confirmed once the autopsy report is released.

The deceased student’s family was notified on Monday night and arrived in Kharagpur on Tuesday morning. A formal police investigation is now underway.

An insider from the institute told local media that Pawar had been exhibiting signs of mental stress in recent days, adding another layer of uncertainty and concern around the incident.

Monday’s tragedy is the fifth case of an unnatural student death on the IIT-Kharagpur campus this year, and the second such incident within a week.

These repeated tragedies have raised serious questions about the mental health infrastructure, support systems, and general wellbeing of students at India’s premier engineering institution.

— With inputs from IANS