A final-year B Tech student of IIT Kanpur was found dead in his hostel room on Monday, police said. The 26-year-old student has been identified as Jai Singh Meena, a native of Ajmer in Rajasthan. He was enrolled in the Biological Sciences and Bioengineering programme and was staying in Room No 148 of E-Block at the campus hostel.
According to police, Meena was found hanging from a ceiling fan with a bedsheet. Preliminary examination suggests he may have cut his wrists before hanging himself.
Suicide note recovered from his room
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Kalyanpur) Ashutosh Kumar said that a handwritten note bearing the words "Sorry Everyone" was recovered from the hostel room.
The incident came to light after Meena did not respond to repeated phone calls from his family. Alarmed, relatives contacted one of his friends, who was away on vacation, and later informed other hostel residents. When there was no response despite repeated knocks on the door, students peeped through a window and found him hanging inside the room.
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur administration immediately alerted the Kalyanpur police. The police broke open the door and recovered the body, following which a forensic team examined the room and collected evidence.
Preliminary investigation suggests suicide
ACP Kumar said a handwritten note was found at the scene, and the body has been sent for post-mortem examination. "Preliminary investigation suggests it is a case of suicide. All angles are being thoroughly probed and further legal action will be taken based on the findings," he said.
The IIT Kanpur administration said Meena had joined the institute in July 2020 and described him as a bright and promising student. The campus is currently observing winter vacation, which began on December 28, and Meena was reportedly planning to return home.
Family members are expected to reach Kanpur on Tuesday, after which further formalities will be completed. The incident has left the campus in shock, with the institute expressing deep condolences to the bereaved family.
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