IIT-K student commits suicide in hostel room

Mahtab,a BTech first-year student of material science and engineering,belonged to Kannauj district. He is the ninth student to have committed suicide in IIT-K in the last five years,according to data with the Kalyanpur police station.

IIT-K Registrar Sanjeev S Kashalkar said the incident came to light around 6 pm when Mahtab’s classmates went to his room to take him along for the sports festival ‘Udghosh’.

He said the boys informed the hostel administration when they knocked several times and did not get any response. The police were informed and they broke the door in the presence of the IIT authorities. Mahtab’s body was found hanging from the ceiling fan.

Kashalkar said they were yet to confirm if Mahtab had attended any lecture in the day,as they had no practice of taking attendance of students. Mahtab had spoken to his mother at 1.45 pm.

The registrar said the police searched the room but did not find any suicide note.

Kanpur SP (Rural) Arun Kumar Pandey said the police will talk to Mahtab’s classmates. His father Sheikh Mohammad had been informed and he was on his way to Kanpur,Pandey said.