Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka on Tuesday said that the death of Rishikesh Kumar, a 31-year-old MSc Physics student at IIT Delhi, “should ring alarm bells across the country.” Students have been protesting at the campus demanding an independent investigation into “administrative lapses” surrounding the death and accountability of the officials found responsible.
The Cockroach Janta Party expressed support for the demonstrations and stated that the rise of student suicides raises a “clearer structural problem.” “We are very closely following the recent events in IIT Delhi. The case of Rishikesh should ring alarm bells across the country. Rishikesh had lost his father last year and was battling mental health issues for a while. But the Institute seems to have failed to provide the requisite support, including his hostel accommodation and appropriate counselling, Ranka posted.
Ranka’s post also cited figures claiming eight suicides at IIT Delhi over the past three years and 65 across all IITs in the last five years, arguing that it demands immediate attention.
“It is extremely shocking that IITD has witnessed 8 suicides in last 3 years. And overall IITs have had 65 suicides in last 5 years. There is a clear structural problem in our IITs which warrants immediate attention. @Cockroachisback stands in complete solidarity with Rishikesh’s family and the protesting students,” Ranka said.
The protesting students demanded the resignation of senior officials, including the dean and associate deans of student affairs and the head of the physics department, Rs 1-crore compensation for the deceased’s family, protection from disciplinary action for the protesters and a written response from the administration.
The protesters sought an examination of broader issues contributing to student distress, including denial of academic projects, housing-related difficulties and inadequate support systems, along with greater transparency regarding the institute’s mental-health protocols.
The classes at IIT-Delhi were suspended on Monday amid protests at the institute’s Lecture Hall Complex.
Rishikesh died on Saturday after allegedly jumping from the sixth floor of a campus building. Police said there was no suicide note, but a mobile phone found in the deceased’s pocket would be examined. Prima facie, no injury marks other than those attributable to the fall were found on his body, they added.
According to a preliminary enquiry, the deceased entered the IIT Delhi campus through the main gate around 8 am, then went to the Lecture Hall Complex and took a lift to the sixth floor. He then allegedly jumped from the front side of the building, a senior officer said. Police said the student was rushed to IIT Delhi’s campus hospital, where he was declared brought dead.
As part of the investigation, the student’s counselling records and other relevant information are being obtained from the institute, police said, adding that they are looking into the circumstances leading to his death and verifying all available information.
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi in a statement said, “The institute deeply mourns the tragic and untimely demise of an MSc student on August 22. The Delhi Police are investigating the sad incident. Our deepest thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved family. The institute is providing them with all support.”
(With PTI inputs)