IISER sets up committee to probe circumstances behind unnatural death of PhD student

KOLKATA : Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata has set up a fact-finding committee to probe the circumstances behind the unnatural death of PhD student Anamtira Roy (24), an institute spokesperson said on Sunday. Roy, a life science researcher of the Haringhata campus in Nadia district, died in AIIMS Kalyani hospital on Friday morning, hours after falling ill on the campus, a police officer said. Drug overdose is believed to have been a factor leading to his death, the official said, quoting a preliminary report from the hospital.

An IISER spokesperson told PTI on Sunday that the institute formed a fact-finding committee on Friday to know the circumstances leading to the death. Some of Roy's friends said hours before being rushed to the hospital on Thursday night, he had a heated argument with some of his research colleagues at the institute's laboratory. "We are exploring all angles. The committee is talking to his parents and other members of the family, as well as his batchmates. We are also checking his social media posts. We will cooperate with the police," the spokesperson said.

While his grief-stricken parents could not be contacted, Roy's cousin Hrisikesh Roy said his brother was bullied and pressurised to such extreme mental stress that he was forced to commit suicide by two persons in the institute belonging to his research team. "We want a complete and thorough probe," SFI general secretary Debanjan Dey said after meeting the bereaved family. As Roy's body was brought to the campus after post-mortem examination on Saturday, a rally was taken out by some students.

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Based on the posts by Roy, where he had complained of mental harassment and extreme bullying, an FIR was filed by the family at Haringhata police station, naming a guide and another batchmate for being responsible for his death. Roy had also informed in one of the posts in past that he had thought about committing suicide when he studied in class 6 and also after being mentally harassed in April last. He had further alleged in another post that emails to the internal complaint committee failed to elicit any response. In one such post, Roy had said he was partially afflicted by autism and hence subjected to misbehaviour.

The spokesperson said the allegations by the deceased are being addressed with all seriousness, and the committee will submit findings very soon, based on which follow-up actions will be taken. In April 2022, IISER PhD student Subhadip Roy's body was found hanging, and he had blamed a researcher guide. The spokesperson said IISER has a 24x7 counselling cell and zero tolerance for any case of ragging.