Second Death in 10 Days at IIT Kharagpur: Student Found Dead in Hostel Room

A wave of shock has gripped the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, after a 22-year-old MTech student was found dead in his hostel room , marking the second such incident on campus within just 10 days .

The student, identified as Soham Haldar , a dual-degree scholar in Electronics and Electrical Communication Engineering, was found hanging from the ceiling of his room at the Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Hall of Residence on Tuesday.

Institute officials said he was immediately taken to the campus hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead .

Preliminary findings suggest it may be a case of suicide , though police from the Kharagpur Town station have launched a detailed investigation. The exact cause will be confirmed after the post-mortem examination. CCTV footage from the hostel is also being examined to reconstruct the sequence of events.

In an official statement, IIT Kharagpur expressed deep grief over the loss and said a thorough inquiry has been initiated. The institute has also informed the student’s family, who have since reached the campus.

Director Suman Chakraborty said the institute is working to strengthen its student support systems, especially to identify those under stress or emotional distress . He emphasized the need for students to feel safe in opening up about mental health challenges.

“Friends, faculty, and staff did not notice any visible signs of stress in him,” he said, adding that more proactive steps are needed to prevent such incidents in the future.

The student hailed from Barasat in North 24 Parganas district . His death comes just days after another tragic incident on April 18, when a 21-year-old student allegedly died by suicide at another hostel on campus.

With two student deaths in a short span, concerns are once again being raised about mental health support, academic pressure, and campus well-being systems at one of India’s premier institutes.