New Delhi: The Delhi Police has registered an abetment to suicide case against unnamed persons over the alleged suicide by a 31-year-old IIT Delhi student that has sparked student protest on the campus. The institute has also constituted an external inquiry committee to probe the case.
A police official said the abetment of suicide FIR has been registered at the Kishangarh police station based on a complaint filed by IIT Delhi.
Rishikesh Kumar, the 31-year-old MSc Physics student, allegedly jumped to death from the sixth floor of the Lecture Hall Complex (LHC) on the campus on Saturday. Kumar’s is the ninth case of suicide on the campus since 2023.
IIT students gathered on the campus in protest on Monday, demanding the resignation of a professor, an independent inquiry into Kumar’s death, and compensation of at least Rs 1 crore for his family.
The IIT Delhi administration filed a complaint with the police, following which an abetment of suicide case was registered against unnamed persons, said DCP (South West) Amit Goel.
“There is no allegation against anyone. The case is registered on the complaint of IIT as there is a Supreme Court order for the registration of case in case any unnatural death is reported,” said the DCP.
In March 2025, family members of deceased students petitioned the Supreme Court seeking inquiries into such cases. The SC took cognisance of the multiple deaths of IIT students and formed a committee to address mental health issues and prevent suicides in higher educational institutions.
In Rishikesh Kumar’s case, the institute also constituted an external inquiry committee to examine the circumstances leading to his death.
“The Institute recognises that every such tragic incident requires a thorough and independent examination. IIT Delhi is, therefore, constituting an external inquiry committee to investigate the circumstances leading to this tragic incident.
“The Institute will ensure that the committee is given the necessary mandate to examine the matter comprehensively and to identify any further measures that may be required to strengthen student support systems,” IIT Delhi said in a statement Tuesday.
The five-member inquiry panel will include former Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar, AIIMS Delhi psychiatry department head Professor Pratap Sharma, two student representatives and the IIT-Delhi registrar, who will serve as secretary and convener.
The committee has been asked to submit its report within two weeks
Another death 5 months ago
As per police sources, CCTV footage around the scene of the crime has been collected, and statements of several batchmates and friends of Rishikesh have been recorded.
“In one CCTV footage, Kumar was seen walking alone before taking the elevator to the sixth floor of the LHC,” said an officer aware of the matter.
Kumar’s death comes five months after the death of a 19-year-old B.Tech student. Harshit Swami also died allegedly by suicide inside his hotel room in March.
The police had registered an FIR under sections related to abetment of suicide. “We had registered an FIR in Swami’s case. We are awaiting a post mortem report to go ahead with the investigation,” said the officer.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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