IIT Kharagpur student death: Second campus suicide in 10 days
Synopsis
A second IIT Kharagpur student has died by suspected suicide in just ten days, raising urgent questions about student mental health at one of India's top engineering campuses. With seven student deaths recorded in 2025 alone — five by hanging — the pattern demands institutional accountability, not just condolences.
Key Takeaways
Soham Haldar , a 22-year-old MTech student at IIT Kharagpur , was found dead in Madan Mohan Malviya Hall on 28 April .
Police are treating the case as a prima facie suicide ; the body has been sent for post-mortem .
This is the second suspected suicide on the IIT Kharagpur campus in 10 days — the previous being Jaibir Singh Dodia on 18 April .
A total of seven IIT Kharagpur students died in 2025 , with five reportedly found hanging .
IIT Kharagpur authorities are yet to issue an official response to the latest death.
A 22-year-old MTech student at IIT Kharagpur in West Bengal's West Midnapore district was found dead in his hostel room on Tuesday morning, 28 April, in what police are treating as an apparent suicide — the second such incident on the campus in just ten days.
How the Body Was Discovered
The deceased has been identified as Soham Haldar, a resident of the Shalbagan area of Barasat in North 24 Parganas district. He was enrolled in the MTech programme in Electronics and Electrical Communication Engineering and resided in the Madan Mohan Malviya Hall on campus.
Security guards grew concerned when the door to his room had not opened since morning. Upon entering, they found Haldar's body hanging inside the room and immediately alerted the police. The body was subsequently recovered and taken to BC Roy Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Police Response and Investigation
Local police have stated that the case is prima facie being treated as a suicide. The body has been sent for post-mortem examination, and Haldar's family has been notified. No suicide note has been publicly mentioned by authorities. IIT Kharagpur authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
The Previous Incident Ten Days Ago
This death comes just ten days after another student, 21-year-old Jaibir Singh Dodia from the Ghuma area of Ahmedabad, allegedly jumped from the eighth floor of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Hall on 18 April. Dodia was a third-year student in the mechanical engineering department and resided in Nehru Hall on campus.
A Disturbing Pattern in 2025
The back-to-back deaths are part of a deeply troubling pattern at one of India's most prestigious engineering institutions. According to available records, seven IIT Kharagpur students died in 2025, with five reportedly found hanging. The deaths that year included Shoaan Malik on 12 January, Aniket Walkar on 21 April, Mohammad Asif Qamar on 4 May, Ritam Mandal on 18 July, Chandradeep Pawar on 22 July, and Harsh Kumar Pandey on 20 September. On 7 December, the body of Bhattaram Sharan Kumar was recovered near the Puri railway gate in Kharagpur after he was struck by a train.
The recurring nature of these deaths is expected to intensify scrutiny of the institution's student mental health support systems and academic pressure environment in the days ahead.
If you or someone you know is struggling, please contact iCall at 9152987821 or Vandrevala Foundation Helpline at 1860-2662-345 (available 24/7).
Point of View
With no public accounting of what mental health interventions exist or have been strengthened, is itself a statement. India's IITs carry enormous social prestige and equally enormous pressure on students who often arrive after years of gruelling competitive preparation, only to face a new and unfamiliar academic environment with inadequate psychological support. The question is no longer whether the institution has a mental health crisis — the data answers that. The question is whether the administration will treat it with the urgency it demands, or wait for the next tragedy before responding.
NationPress
7 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was the IIT Kharagpur student who died on 28 April 2025?
The student was Soham Haldar , a 22-year-old MTech student in Electronics and Electrical Communication Engineering at IIT Kharagpur. He was a resident of Barasat in North 24 Parganas and lived in Madan Mohan Malviya Hall on campus.
How many students have died at IIT Kharagpur in 2025?
According to available records, seven IIT Kharagpur students died in 2025, with five reportedly found hanging. The deaths span from January to December of that year.
What happened at IIT Kharagpur on 18 April 2025?
On 18 April, a 21-year-old student named Jaibir Singh Dodia allegedly jumped from the eighth floor of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Hall on the IIT Kharagpur campus. He was a third-year mechanical engineering student from Ahmedabad.
Has IIT Kharagpur responded to the latest student death?
As of the time of reporting, IIT Kharagpur authorities had not issued an official statement regarding the death of Soham Haldar on 28 April.
What mental health helplines are available for students in distress?
Students or anyone in distress can contact iCall at 9152987821 or the Vandrevala Foundation Helpline at 1860-2662-345, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
