A 20-year-old second-year student of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay was found dead in his hostel room on the Powai campus on Tuesday night, July 28. Police have registered an accidental death report and have started an investigation.
According to the police, the incident came to light after the student did not respond to calls from his parents in Rajasthan. They last spoke to him before 5 pm on Tuesday. After that, he stopped answering his phone. When they called again at around 10.30 pm and still received no response, they contacted IIT Bombay's security team.
When the staff went to the student's hostel room, they found the door locked from the inside and informed the institute administration. They alerted the police, and after reaching there, they found him dead.
Police said no suicide note was found in the room. But they recovered notes with romantic poems. They suspect that a romantic relationship may have played a role in the incident. According to the police, the student was seen attending classes and moving around the campus earlier on the same day.
The police have informed the student's family under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. His parents were expected to travel from Rajasthan to Mumbai on Wednesday afternoon, July 29.
As per sources, four teams have been assigned to investigate the case. Students on the campus said the deceased seemed depressed and may have done it because of a failed relationship.
Interestingly, this is the second such death reported at IIT Bombay this year. After that, students were informed about one-on-one counselling sessions and other support services. They were also asked to seek help if they were facing emotional stress or mental health challenges.
The institute has made wellness sessions compulsory for first-year undergraduate students. Senior students are also trained to act as peer mentors. The institute also started wellness activities like yoga, meditation, counselling, etc.
Despite these measures, student deaths are still being reported at IITs across the country. Data shows that 65 students died by suicide at IITs between 2021 and 2025.