Protests at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi entered their fourth day on August 26 following the death of 31-year-old MSc Physics student Rishikesh Kumar, who allegedly died by suicide after falling from the sixth floor of the Lecture Hall Complex on August 22.
Delhi Police have registered an FIR for abetment to suicide against unknown persons and are examining CCTV footage, Kumar’s mobile phone and counselling records. Students have demanded an independent inquiry, resignations of senior officials, systemic mental-health reforms and at least ₹1 crore in compensation for Kumar’s family.
IIT Delhi has formed a five-member external inquiry committee, but its proposed chairperson, former Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar, has since recused himself citing prior commitments. The institute has said it is committed to a thorough review, while students maintain that meaningful reforms and accountability are still required.
A Campus Grieves, Then Protests
Kumar, who joined IIT Delhi in July 2025, was a second-year MSc Physics student and had secured an All India Rank of 40 in IIT JAM, according to student accounts reported by ThePrint and other media. Friends remembered him as a passionate teacher and poet who often recited Hindi poetry on campus.
His death has since prompted one of the largest student mobilisations seen at IIT Delhi in recent years. On August 25, more than 500 students were reportedly inside the Lecture Hall Complex while around 2,000 others gathered outside, following an overnight candlelight vigil.
Students have alleged that Kumar faced difficulties after returning from mental-health treatment, including issues related to hostel accommodation, academic projects and access to institutional support. His family has also alleged that the institute was aware of his vulnerable mental state but failed to provide adequate assistance.
His brother told India Today that the family had alerted authorities about his condition and alleged that support and accommodation were repeatedly denied. The allegations remain subject to investigation.
IIT Delhi, meanwhile, has said Kumar was referred to its hospital after concerns were raised by fellow students earlier this year and subsequently underwent treatment at a specialised hospital. The institute said his requests for semester withdrawal were approved and that he received counselling and treatment support after returning.
Police Probe, Institutional Questions
Police said Kumar entered the campus at around 8 am on August 22 before going to the Lecture Hall Complex and taking an elevator to the sixth floor. A PCR call was received around 8.30 am, after which he was taken to the campus hospital, where he was declared brought dead.
No suicide note was recovered, police said, while his mobile phone and other material are being examined. The FIR for abetment to suicide was registered against unknown persons on the evening of the incident itself, according to The Indian Express.
The case does not, by itself, establish that any individual or institution caused or contributed to Kumar’s death; investigators will have to establish whether evidence supports such a connection. Amid the protests, IIT Delhi Director Professor Rangan Banerjee announced a five-member External Inquiry Committee comprising former Uttarakhand DGP and IIT Delhi alumnus Ashok Kumar, AIIMS Delhi psychiatry head Professor Pratap Sharma, two student representatives and the institute’s Registrar.
The panel was asked to examine relevant records, speak to students and faculty, review institutional processes and submit its report within two weeks. However, Ashok Kumar later recused himself, citing prior commitments, and the institute is expected to appoint a replacement. Students had also objected to the panel’s composition and called for a more independent inquiry.
What Students Want Changed
The protests have now widened from demands for an inquiry into Kumar’s death to questions about the broader student welfare system. Students are seeking the resignation of the Dean, Associate Dean of Student Welfare, Associate Dean of Hostel Management and Head of the Physics Department, alongside an independent investigation and ₹1 crore compensation for Kumar’s family.
They have also called for structural reforms to mental-health support, greater transparency around welfare protocols and stronger grievance-redressal mechanisms. The institute has responded by proposing an external ombudsperson for unresolved student grievances and an additional faculty-student mentoring mechanism for students requiring parental support.
However, protesters say these measures do not yet address their core demands. Saksham, a second-year BTech student involved in the protest, told ANI that students were seeking “systemic solutions” rather than only resignations, adding that the agitation would continue until meaningful changes were offered. He also urged that the movement remain focused on student welfare rather than political agendas.
IIT Delhi has not accepted the students’ resignation demands. Director Rangan Banerjee has also rejected the demand for the resignation of Associate Dean of Student Welfare Professor Sreedevi Upadhyaula, according to The Indian Express. The protests have also revived concerns over the institute’s record on student suicides, with students and recent reporting noting that Kumar’s death was the eighth such death at IIT Delhi since 2023.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Rishikesh Kumar’s death should not become another statistic in a cycle of tragedy, protest, committee formation and eventual silence. At the same time, allegations made in the aftermath of a deeply distressing death must be established through evidence rather than assumption. What students, families and institutions owe one another in such moments is honesty, empathy and a willingness to listen.
IIT Delhi’s external inquiry can be meaningful only if it is transparent, genuinely independent and willing to examine uncomfortable questions about accommodation, academic support, counselling, grievance mechanisms and institutional decision-making. The police investigation must similarly be allowed to establish facts without prejudging any individual or institution. Students demanding better systems deserve to be heard without their concerns being dismissed, while the administration deserves space to respond through evidence and constructive dialogue.
