NIT Kurukshetra forms five-member panel to probe student suicides on campus

Following the death of a 19-year-old BTech student at National Institute of Technology (NIT) Kurukshetra, the institute has formed a five-member committee to investigate recent student suicide cases, besides the three separate committees to look into issues faced by students on campus. NIT Kurukshetra’s probe panel will interact with students, professors, wardens, and other staff over the issues.

NIT Kurukshetra’s public relations officer Gian Bhushan, on Sunday said that the committee has been constituted to investigate the recent suicide cases on campus. The probe panel will be headed by the dean of student welfare Lillie Dewan, and includes J K Kapoor, Praveen Aggarwal, Sandeep Singhal, and Manoj Sinha.

The move comes days after an engineering student, Diksha Dubey from Bihar, allegedly died by suicide, which sparked protests on campus. Dubey's death marked the fourth such incident on the campus in the past two months.

CPI-M Rajya Sabha leader John Brittas wrote to Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan seeking immediate intervention on the issue of an "alarming series" of suicides on the NIT Kurukshetra campus.

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NIT Kurukshetra Campus: Another suicide attempt

According to the PTI reports, after Dubey's death allegedly by suicide, a first-year BTech student from Maharashtra allegedly attempted to die by suicide on Friday night, the police said.

The student allegedly threatened and tried to jump off the hostel building, but was stopped by fellow hostellers. The PR officer added that the administration has ordered students to vacate hostels by April 19 , keeping in mind the well-being of all students.

The institute will announce the revised exam schedule for both theory and practical exams in due course. Students are advised to stay updated through the institute's official website for announcements.

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NIT-K replaces staff, assigns faculty for interaction

The institute has replaced key hostel officials, including the chief warden and deputy warden of the girls' hostel. While interacting with the media on Saturday, the officiating director of NIT Kurukshetra Brahmjit said the “institute is taking students' issues seriously”.

He added that each student has been assigned a faculty member for regular interaction. These members will stay in touch with students, understand their concerns, and work towards resolving them.

The institute's PR officer further said that the administration is also looking into the students’ situation to allow them to stay in the hostels after the evacuation notice, which is causing problems for students, as it was necessary to defuse the 'tense' situation created on the campus due to four suicides during the last two months.

However, many students alleged that the notice to leave hostels has caused problems and disrupted their studies.

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NIT Kurukshetra forms 3 separate committees for students’ support

As per the PTI report, the institute has formed three separate committees; the first committee comprises wardens who will visit hostels daily and interact directly with students, the second is a mentorship committee, wherein one mentor is assigned to a group of 20-25 students and remains in regular contact, including through phone conversations.

While the third committee will include two faculty members for each hostel, who will continue to visit regularly to engage with students and understand their problems.

A woman student of NIT-K told PTI reporters and said: "There is a gap between students and faculty and management, which should be properly addressed. Merely assigning mentors is not going to solve the problem".

Another student added: "Students are traumatised by four suicides in just two months."

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Protests at NIT Kurukshetra’s campus

The police force has been deployed outside the campus gate to maintain law and order. Workers of the Indian Youth Congress staged a candle march on Saturday, demanding justice for the families of deceased students and safety measures on campus.

The district president of the outfit Kuldeep Dhillon Hathira said four students had died by suicide at the campus in the past two months, highlighting “serious concerns about student welfare”. He further alleged that complaints of “harassment and mental pressure” by the administration have been continuously surfacing and accused authorities of failing to engage with grieving families.

"Parents send their children here with dreams, but in some cases, they are forced to take back their bodies," he said. Hathira has also warned of a permanent protest at the institute if justice is not delivered soon.

If you know someone – friend or family member – at risk of suicide, please reach out to them. Those in distress or having suicidal thoughts or tendencies could seek help and counselling by calling 9820466726 or visiting AASRA’s official website or can call iCALL on 9152987821. Here are some more helpline numbers of suicide prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.