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Journalism of Courage
An 18-year-old first-year student of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay, allegedly died by suicide by jumping from the eighth floor of the hostel on Sunday afternoon.
The Powai police said the incident took place at around 1 pm after which police was informed and a case of accidental death was registered. A police officer said the student, Darshan Solanki, a native of Ahmedabad, had joined IIT Bombay three and a half months ago and was a BTech student. “We have eye-witnesses who saw Solanki jump from the refuge area of the hostel building. We are recording statements of his roommates and are trying to ascertain the reason,” the officer said.
Stating that it was an unfortunate incident, an official from the administration said, “The institute is cooperating with the police investigation.”
Soon after the incident came to light on Sunday, institute Director Subhasis Chaudhuri sent out a message to all students. “We regret to inform the loss of a first-year student in a tragic incident this afternoon. Powai police is investigating the case. The parents of the student have been informed and they are on their way. We deeply mourn the death of the student and pray that the family gets the strength to bear this loss. May his soul rest in peace,” read the message.
Solanki was a first year BTech student of chemical engineering. He was a resident of Hostel 16 and hailed from Ahmedabad.
The first end-semester exams for the first-year students concluded on Saturday. This has led to many on campus suspecting academic pressure as a reason. However, an official from the institute said that it wouldn’t be appropriate to speculate before more details emerge.
A student from the campus, requesting anonymity said, “In absence of any note, there is no clarity about the reason that could have led to such a drastic step by him. Even as semester exams have just concluded, it would not be correct to say if that alone was a reason. We would wait to know more from the institute.”
Meanwhile, some students from the campus participated in a candlelight march late night on Sunday, remembering “one of their own.” A poster circulated by Dastak, an informal students’ collective from the campus, which organised the candle march, stated, “This is not just another life lost. It never is. Let’s not go on as it is. We can’t go on as it is.” The march was held in common space between hostels 12, 13 and 14.
Maximum residents of hostel 16 are students pursuing first year of various undergraduate courses offered at this coveted institute.
“For most of them this is their first year away from their homes. They are very new to campus life. And a tragic incident of this nature within 3-4 months of their first year in the institute can really be disturbing for them,” said a student from senior year, requesting anonymity while adding that all rooms in this hostel are double occupancy so that everyone has a roommate.
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