A 21-year-old fourth-year mechanical engineering student at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, Ritam Mondal, was found dead in his hostel room on Friday, marking the fourth unnatural student death on campus since January this year. The student was discovered hanging in his room at Rajendra Prasad (RP) Hall by campus security and police after repeated knocks on his door went unanswered.

Engineering Student Found Hanging in Hostel

Ritam, who hailed from Kolkata, had returned to campus following the summer break and was attending classes regularly. According to his hostelmates, there was no sign of distress or unusual behavior. The tragic discovery came after security and police broke into his room around noon.

The institute has informed his family and is providing support during this difficult time. “There was nothing unusual in his behaviour,” one of his hostel mates said, still struggling to process the news, reported PTI.

Investigation Underway as Institute Files FIR

According to reports, IIT Kharagpur officials confirmed that there were no noticeable indicators of mental health issues. Furthermore, records from the institute’s SARTH Counselling Centre suggest the same.

Furthermore, according to faculty members’ statements, Ritam had not shown signs of emotional distress or academic difficulties. The tragedy is all the more shocking because his professors and peers did not report any unusual behavior on his part prior to the incident.

A fact-finding committee has also been formed in the wake of the incident to look into the circumstances surrounding the death. IIT Kharagpur has committed to collaborating closely with law enforcement. In order to shed light on this unfortunate incident, they also pledged to be transparent and truthful throughout the investigation. The institute also submitted a First Information Report (FIR).

Rising Concerns Over Student Suicides

According to reports, Ritam Mondal’s recent passing marks the fourth tragic student suicide at IIT Kharagpur in a year. Three other students died by suicide earlier in 2025. This includes Mohammad Asif Qamar in May, Aniket Walkar in April, and Shaon Malik in January. Under comparable circumstances, all three of them killed themselves on campus.

The community at IIT Kharagpur has been severely shaken by these recurring incidents, which have also sparked grave worries about the mental health and general wellbeing of the students. Last year, the campus also mourned the passing of Devika Pillai, a student studying biotechnology.

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