The Supreme Court on Monday came down heavily on the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, over the increasing number of student suicides at the institution.
Taking a prima facie unfavourable view of the issue, the Bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan asked the institute whether it had given a thought to the same.
The Counsel appearing for IIT Kharagpur apprised the Court that a 10-member committee had been constituted to deal with the issue. Besides, the counselling centre at the institute was identifying students facing mental health problems. The students have been provided with a phone number on which they could make calls anytime, he added.
The top court of the country was hearing a suo motu case related to the recent student suicides at IIT Kharagpur and Sharda University.
The Apex Court had earlier directed the two institutions to submit their responses over the incidents.
The Bench was today apprised that first information reports (FIRs) have been lodged in connection with the same.
Regarding the Sharda University case, it was informed that an FIR had been lodged by the father of the deceased and the investigation was in progress.
The management of IIT Kharagpur lodged a complaint in the police station within 30 minutes of learning about the suicide, the Counsel representing the institute informed the Court. Investigation was in progress, he added.
Let the investigation continue in the right direction in both cases, noted the Bench and listed the matter for further hearing after four weeks.
During the proceedings, the Apex Court was informed that a student died by suicide at IIT Delhi on June 4, however, an FIR was yet to be registered.
The top court of the country said that the issue be taken up with the Amicus Curiae.
Earlier, the Amicus Curiae had submitted its report on both the cases before the top court of the country.
Regarding the Sharda University student suicide case, the Amicus Curiae said the body of the girl was shifted by the university staff even before the police came. As per police officials, since multiple people left fingerprints, the crime scene got compromised.
Regarding the IIT Kharagpur case, the Amicus Curiae said she was informed by the varsity’s Registrar that though a post mortem was conducted but details were yet unknown. She further apprised the Apex Court that despite several attempts, police officials could not be contacted.
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