IIT Delhi External Panel Begins Probe Into Student Death, Family Gets Aid
IIT Delhi's external panel, led by a retired HC judge, has started probing the death of MSc student Rishikesh Kumar. The institute has approved aid for the family and will appoint an ombudsperson.
The external inquiry committee constituted by the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) to investigate the death of 31-year-old MSc Physics student Rishikesh Kumar has commenced its work. The institute has also approved financial assistance for the student's family from its benevolent fund, alongside a separate corpus built through voluntary contributions from faculty, students, staff, and alumni.
The committee is chaired by Justice Mukta Gupta, a retired judge of the Delhi High Court, and includes Professor Pratap Sharan, head of the Department of Psychiatry at AIIMS New Delhi, four student representatives, and the Registrar as Secretary and Convenor. The panel was reconstituted after the earlier chairperson, former Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar, withdrew citing prior commitments. Students had opposed his inclusion over his alleged past remarks.
In a communication to students, the institute's Director stated that the committee will engage with students, faculty, and administrative offices, review existing protocols, and submit its report within two weeks. The formation of an external inquiry panel was a key demand of protesting students.
IIT Delhi has also reiterated its existing mental health support framework, which includes round-the-clock access to counsellors and psychiatrists, including experts from AIIMS and VIMHANS, full reimbursement for external mental healthcare, and an emergency response protocol alongside Academic Unit Wellness Committees. The institute affirmed its commitment to treating students as active stakeholders and taking sustained measures to safeguard their academic welfare and mental health.