IIT Kharagpur professor found dead on campus, suicide suspected
Synopsis
A faculty member at one of India's most prestigious technical institutions has been found dead in his on-campus quarters under circumstances that police are still piecing together. The death of Deepak Reddy Pullaguram, an electrical engineering professor at IIT Kharagpur, is being described as unprecedented — the campus has seen student suicides before, but never a professor's death of this nature.
Key Takeaways
Deepak Reddy Pullaguram , 36 , an assistant professor in the electrical engineering department at IIT Kharagpur , was found hanging in his campus quarters on 29 July .
Officers from Hijli outpost under Kharagpur Town police station entered the room at around 12:30 pm after campus authorities raised an alert.
Pullaguram was taken to B.C.
Roy Hospital on campus, where he was declared dead.
West Midnapore SP Papiya Sultana confirmed the body will be sent for autopsy and the cause of death is under investigation.
It has not been confirmed whether a suicide note was found; police are questioning colleagues, security staff, and residents.
Institute sources say a professor dying on campus under such circumstances is unprecedented at IIT Kharagpur, which has previously recorded student suicides.
The body of an assistant professor was recovered from a residential quarter on the IIT Kharagpur campus in West Midnapore district, West Bengal, on Wednesday, 29 July, with police suspecting suicide while keeping all angles of investigation open. The deceased has been identified as Deepak Reddy Pullaguram, 36, a faculty member in the electrical engineering department who hailed from Hyderabad.
How the Body Was Discovered
According to police, campus sources noted that Pullaguram had been unresponsive since morning, prompting institute authorities to alert police. Officers from the Hijli outpost under Kharagpur Town police station reached the spot at around 12:30 pm and, assisted by quarter security guards, gained entry into the locked room. Pullaguram was found hanging inside.
He was immediately taken to B.C. Roy Hospital within the IIT campus, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. His quarters have since been sealed by investigators.
What Investigators Are Examining
Police are probing whether Pullaguram faced personal or professional difficulties. West Midnapore District Superintendent of Police Papiya Sultana confirmed: 'The hanging body of a professor has been recovered. It will be sent for autopsy. The manner or cause of death is being investigated.'
Investigators are questioning security guards, fellow residents of the quarters, and Pullaguram's colleagues. His room is also being searched. It has not yet been confirmed whether a suicide note was found at the scene. His family in Hyderabad has been notified.
Unprecedented Nature of the Incident
Institute sources noted that while IIT Kharagpur has recorded several cases of student suicides in recent years, a professor dying on campus under such circumstances is described as unprecedented. As of the time of reporting, IIT Kharagpur authorities had not issued any official statement regarding the incident.
What Happens Next
The body is set to undergo a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death. Investigators will await autopsy results alongside their inquiry into Pullaguram's personal and professional background before drawing conclusions. The absence of an official institutional response has drawn attention, and further details are expected as the investigation progresses.
Point of View
But institutional support structures for faculty, who face their own pressures around research output, funding, and job security, remain largely unexamined. The absence of any official statement from the institute within hours of the incident is itself telling. If the autopsy confirms suicide, it will raise hard questions about whether elite technical institutions are equipped to support the wellbeing of the people who run them, not just those who study there.
NationPress
29 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Deepak Reddy Pullaguram?
Deepak Reddy Pullaguram was a 36-year-old assistant professor in the electrical engineering department at IIT Kharagpur. He was originally from Hyderabad and resided in the institute's campus quarters.
How was the IIT Kharagpur professor's body found?
Campus sources noted he had not been responding since morning on 29 July. After authorities alerted police, officers from Hijli outpost entered his locked room with the help of security guards at around 12:30 pm and found him hanging inside.
Has the cause of death been confirmed?
No. Police have ordered an autopsy and are investigating all possible angles, including suicide and other causes. It has not been confirmed whether a suicide note was recovered from the scene.
What has IIT Kharagpur said about the incident?
As of the time of reporting, IIT Kharagpur authorities had not issued any official statement regarding the professor's death.
Is this the first such death of a professor at IIT Kharagpur?
According to institute sources, while IIT Kharagpur has recorded several student suicide cases in recent years, the death of a professor on campus under these circumstances is described as unprecedented.
