Anger over IIT Delhi suicide grows, FIR filed, probe panel re-formed

On Tuesday morning, a large crowd gathered at the IIT-Delhi Lecture Hall Complex as protests continued over the death of a fellow student. Earlier that night, an estimated 500 students had occupied the complex, while 2,000 others gathered outside. Security personnel instructed staff, parents, and visitors not to enter the gates, which were now secured.

The administration had urged students to avoid classes for two days, warning continuous absence could affect their academic futures. The death of 31-year-old Rishikesh Kumar, an M.Sc Physics student, on Saturday led to the protests. He is alleged to have jumped from the sixth floor of a campus building. A candlelight march was planned for Tuesday evening, with talks between the administration and a six-member student delegation continuing at the Director's office.

The administration announced an "impartial" inquiry into student concerns and appealed for classes to resume. The campus has seen an unusual mobilization, with students demanding accountability for what they say is the eighth suicide on campus since 2023. The Delhi police registered an FIR for abetment of suicide against "unknown" individuals, launching an investigation into Rishikesh's death.

The administration has formed an External Inquiry Committee, pledged financial assistance, and set up a separate fund for the family, but refused to agree to the students' demands for resignations and specific compensation. The five-member inquiry panel includes a vice-chancellor, a psychiatrist, two student representatives, and the IIT-D Registrar, who is also the secretary and convener.

Students have rejected the administration's response as "inadequate and evasive" and demanded resignations from four officials, an independent investigation, and a retired Supreme Court or High Court judge to head the inquiry committee.