A 20-year-old second-year student of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee was found dead in his hostel room late on Thursday night, November 12, police said on Friday. The institute confirmed the death and said it is cooperating fully with the police investigation.

Source: ANI

The student was identified as Ayush Rajoria, who was enrolled in the BS-MS programme in Mathematics and Computing in the institute's Department of Mathematics, according to IIT Roorkee and police officials.

Source: Careers360

According to police, fellow students became concerned at around 11 pm when he did not respond to knocks on his hostel room door. Police reached the campus around midnight, and he was declared dead after a medical examination, Hindustan Times reported, citing Roorkee police station SHO Pradeep Singh Bisht.

Police said a note recovered from the room referred to the student's depression and did not blame anyone. Officers said he had been visiting the institute's wellness centre for support for over a year. His body was sent to the Civil Hospital in Roorkee for a post-mortem examination, and inquest proceedings are under way.

Institute expresses grief, appeals against speculation

In a statement issued on Friday, November 13, IIT Roorkee expressed deep grief over the death, offered condolences to the student's family, and said it would extend all assistance to them and support to members of the campus community affected by the incident. The institute appealed to the public not to spread unverified information or speculate about the circumstances while the police investigation continues.