IIT Kanpur shocked as student found dead in hostel room; note saying 'sorry everyone' recovered

Kanpur, UP: A final-year BTech student of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur was found dead in his hostel room on Monday, police officials said, triggering shock across the campus.

The deceased has been identified as Jai Singh Meena (26), a native of Ajmer in Rajasthan, who was pursuing Biological Sciences and Bioengineering. He was staying in Room No. 148 of the E-Block hostel on the IIT Kanpur campus.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Kalyanpur) Ashutosh Kumar said a handwritten note bearing the words "Sorry Everyone" was recovered from the room.

Police said Meena was found hanging from a ceiling fan using a bedsheet. Preliminary observations indicate that he may have inflicted injuries on his wrists before hanging himself.

The incident came to light after Meena failed to respond to repeated phone calls from his family. Concerned relatives then contacted one of his friends, who was away on vacation. Other hostel residents were alerted, and when repeated knocks on the door went unanswered, students peeped through a window and saw him hanging inside the room.

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur administration informed the Kalyanpur police, who broke open the door and recovered the body. A forensic team later examined the room and collected evidence.

Kumar said a handwritten note has been found, and the body has been sent for postmortem examination.

"Initial investigation points towards suicide. All aspects are being thoroughly examined, and further legal action will follow based on the findings," he added.

The institute said Meena had joined IIT Kanpur 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 he was reportedly planning to return home.

Family members are expected to arrive in Kanpur on Tuesday, after which further formalities will be completed. The incident has cast a pall of gloom over the campus, with the administration expressing condolences to the bereaved family. PTI