IIT Delhi forms external panel to probe student Rishikesh's death

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has constituted an external inquiry committee to investigate the circumstances leading to the tragic death of student Rishikesh Kumar. As per the official notification, justice Mukta Gupta, retired judge of the Delhi High Court, as the chairperson of the committee.

The committee also comprises Pratap Sharan, head of the department of Psychiatry at AIIMS, New Delhi, as a member, and two IIT Delhi students, Saket Kumar, an MSc Physics student, and Vikas Choudhary, an MSc Mathematics student, as members. Atul Vyas, registrar has been appointed secretary and convenor.

The committee has been tasked with discussing the matter with relevant students, faculty and concerned administrative offices, reviewing protocols and processes, and making recommendations. The notification states that the committee will submit its report within two weeks. Secretarial assistance will be provided by Abhishek Kumar and Durvesh Yadav.

IIT Delhi inquiry committee gets two-week mandate

The formation of the external panel follows a position statement by protesting students regarding their meeting with the director of IIT Delhi . The students acknowledged the director's agreement to change the chairperson of the independent inquiry committee and accept nominations of student members from the protesting students.

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However, the protesting students said the mandate in the director's email did not clearly mention whether the committee would examine alleged insensitive actions by administrators and staff members referred to in a statement made by Rishikesh's mother to the police. They demanded that the terms of reference also evaluate the merits of the serious allegations made by his mother and consider accountability of the concerned individuals.

The students had proposed justice S. Muralidhar, justice Mukta Gupta and justice Asha Menon as names for the independent inquiry committee.

Students seek clarity on inquiry scope

The protesting students have also called for the appointment of an acting associate dean of hostel management and an associate dean for student welfare during the inquiry. As per their statement, this was sought to ensure fairness in the inquiry process.

They have further sought disclosure of the existing protocols concerning mental health support and the mental distress response system of IIT Delhi . The students stated that these immediate concerns should not underplay the need for systematic changes in student-facing services on the IIT Delhi campus.

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The student's statement also reaffirmed their position regarding the associate dean student welfare. They were seeking the official's resignation, while clarifying that they did not individually blame her for Rishikesh's death . They argued that concerns relating to moral profiling, insensitive remarks and chastising students seeking help needed to be addressed by the administration.

Compensation demand remains an urgent issue

Compensation of Rishikesh's family, specifically his mother, has also been identified by the protesting students as an urgent demand. Their statement refers to an IIT Delhi administration proposal involving benevolent funds, coverage of medical expenses and raising funds through a fundraiser.

The students have demanded that the IIT Delhi administration take responsibility for coordinating and raising the proposed amount of Rs 1 crore. They have also sought an approximate timeline raising the amount and a clear commitment to explore alternative avenues to bridge any gap between the amount raised and the proposed target within a reasonable deadline if the fundraiser does not raise the proposed amount.

The students stated that conversations concerning the compensation amount should take place between Rishikesh's family and batchmates and the IIT Delhi administration. They also reiterated that they did not believe in putting a price on a life lost, while expressing solidarity with the demand made by Rishikesh's friends.

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Their statement linked that demand to what they described as Rishikesh's economic precarity and the hardships he faced because of being required to find accommodation outside the campus.