Kolkata, Jan 13: A student of IIT-Kharagpur was found dead inside his hostel room, an institute official said on Monday.
Shaon Malik, a third-year student of Electrical Engineering, was found hanging inside the room by his parents who had come to meet him on Sunday.
His parents and institute personnel had to forcibly open the door of the hostel room after he did not respond to repeated calls, the official said.
Malik had spoken to his parents over phone the previous night and “things seemed perfectly normal”, according to the official.
The institute will conduct an internal probe into the death and take steps to prevent such incidents in future, he said.
A senior police officer said the post-mortem has been completed and the process was videographed.
Investigation is underway, he said.
IIT-Kharagpur, in a statement, said: "With a sense of utter shock, the students, staff and faculty members deeply mourn the sudden loss of Shaon Malik, a third-year student from the Department of Electrical Engineering. He was found dead in Azad Hall of Residence premises on the morning of January 12."
The Azad Hall of Residence is one of the hostels in the institute.
"Upon discovery of the incident, the campus security and medical teams were immediately alerted... The police are conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Malik's death. The institute is fully cooperating with the authorities," it said.
Describing Malik as an academically gifted student, the institute said "he was known for his intelligence, dedication and promising future in the field of Electrical Engineering”.
"The institute is devastated by this tragic event. Our foremost priority at this moment is to extend our heartfelt condolences and support to Malik's family and friends. We are providing all necessary assistance to help them through this incredibly difficult time,” the statement said.
IIT-Kharagpur said it is committed to the well-being and mental health of its students.
"We have a range of support services available, including counseling and mental health resources, and we urge students to utilise these services whenever needed," it said.
A few days ago, the body of an IIT-Kharagpur junior lab technician-cum-assistant was recovered from one of the quarters on the campus.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Mahakumbh Nagar (PTI): Overwhelmed by the huge crowds at the Maha Kumbh, Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, was briefly indisposed but is recovering after 'Ganga snan' and rest.
Her enthusiasm to learn about Sanatan Dharma remains strong, according to a statement issued by the Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday.
The billionaire businesswoman-philanthropist has been given a new name, 'Kamla', by her guru Mahamandaleshwar Swami Kailashanand Giri of the Niranjani Akhara.
"Laurene was briefly unwell on Monday but is feeling better after 'Ganga Snan' and rest. Her enthusiasm to delve deeper into Sanatan Dharma remains strong," the government statement quoted Swami Kailashanand as saying.
Swami Kailashanand told PTI Videos that she faced some health issues due to the crowds.
He described his newest disciple as a "simple, virtuous, and humble" woman with a keen interest in Sanatan Dharma. "She is free from ego and fully devoted to her guru," he said.
"All her questions revolve around Sanatan Dharma and she finds great joy and satisfaction in the answers," he added.
Mahant Ravindra Puri, chief of Panchayati Akhara Shri Niranjani, told PTI that Laurene's quest for spirituality brought her to the Maha Kumbh.
"She has a new name here, Kamla. She is very simple, soft and bereft of ego and is here as she was inspired by the timeless sanatani culture," said Puri, who is also the president of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP), the apex body of 13 monastic Hindu orders.
"Her quest for spirituality brought her here. The way she has conducted herself in the akhara makes it clear that despite being among the world's richest and most famous, she is sans all ego and does not show-off. Here she dresses simply and conducts herself gracefully," he added.
Barring a few short video clips of her that were shared by news outlets last week, Laurene has largely avoided the media at the world's largest religious gathering so far.
In the video clips that were shared online on Saturday, she is seen dressed in a peach-yellow salwar suit with a saffron stole and a Rudraksha necklace around her neck.
"She maintains a low profile. The day before yesterday (on Sunday), I asked her to come and sit on the dais during an event but she remained seated at the back," Puri said.
"She has come here to witness our ageless and timeless sanatani culture, the core of all consciousness. She is also here to meet the sentinels of the sanatani faith, the saints and seers," he said.
Puri, who is also the president of the Mansa Devi Mandir Trust, Haridwar, said Laurene has come to the Kumbh for the first time.
Asked how long she will be staying her, Puri said, "She came to our place, Niranjani Akahra, on Sunday and would be staying here for a few days."