IIT Delhi Students Protest MSc Student Death as Inquiry Panel Chief Recuses
Students at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi in New Delhi have been staging protests following the death of 31-year-old MSc student Rishikesh Kumar, demanding systemic reforms, mental health support, and an independent inquiry.
Kumar died on August 22 after falling from the sixth floor of the Lecture Hall Complex on the IIT Delhi campus. Police stated that no suicide note was recovered and the circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation.
Amid ongoing demonstrations, former Uttarakhand Director General of Police Ashok Kumar, who had been proposed as chairperson of a five-member external inquiry committee constituted by the institute, recused himself from the panel citing prior commitments. IIT Delhi sources confirmed that a new chairperson will be announced soon.
The proposed panel, announced by IIT Delhi Director Prof Rangan Banerjee, included AIIMS New Delhi psychiatry department head Prof Pratap Sharma, two student representatives, and the institute's Registrar as secretary and convenor. Some protesting students had objected to the composition, demanding that the panel be headed by a former High Court judge.
Meanwhile, internal divisions have surfaced over outside political involvement. Saksham, a second-year BTech student at the institute, spoke out against the politicisation of the agitation, stating that outside political influences and partisan rhetoric were affecting student unity. He called for the movement to stay focused on welfare reforms and the creation of an independent, dedicated Mental Health Cell at IIT Delhi.
His remarks followed statements by All India Students' Association president Neha Bora, who extended support to the demonstration and termed Kumar's death an institutional failure.
According to IIT Delhi, Kumar joined the institute in July 2025 and had been residing in a campus hostel. The administration stated that he received counselling and medical support in July and August, and his requests to withdraw from the second and third semesters were approved. The institute also announced plans to appoint an external ombudsperson to resolve grievances and confirmed that financial support is being extended to Kumar's family through contributions from faculty, staff, and students.
