‘Was Never Made For This World…’: PhD Scholar Dies by Suicide at IISER Kolkata Over Ragging
The student posted a detailed note on social media, hours before attempting suicide on the campus of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research in West Bengal’s Nadia.
A 25-year-old PhD scholar at a public research institute in Kalyani, West Bengal’s Nadia district, passed away in a hospital late Thursday night, hours after allegedly attempting suicide on campus over the administration’s failure to act on his ragging complaints, officials said.
The deceased was identified as Anamitra Roy, a native of Shyamnagar in North 24 Parganas, who was pursuing a PhD in Biology at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata. He was found unconscious in a laboratory that evening and was rushed to AIIMS, Kalyani, where he succumbed on Friday morning, they added.
Scholar Alleges Ragging, Administrative Negligence in Final Note
Hours before taking the extreme step, the scholar posted a lengthy note on social media, alleging that the institute ignored his complaints of ragging, which drove him to the brink.
In the note, he mentioned years of personal hardships, including childhood abuse, autism, and recurring depression.
He alleged that he, along with several colleagues, had been harassed in recent months by a fellow PhD student – Sourabh Biswas. Despite repeated complaints to his supervisor, Anindita Bhadra, and to the institute’s anti-ragging cell, he claimed no action was taken.
He wrote that on April 12 this year, an incident occurred in the lab where Biswas allegedly shouted at him for a prolonged period. Roy lodged formal complaints with the higher authorities of the institute; however, he allegedly received no response from the administration.
PhD Scholar’s Last Appeal to Authorities
He further alleged that members of the Students’ Affairs Council and his supervisor prioritised the lab’s reputation over addressing his grievances. He claimed that his supervisor even praised his alleged abuser’s work despite what he described as “scientific misconduct.”
In his note, Roy appealed that Biswas be denied a PhD and be held accountable under anti-ragging provisions. Concluding, he apologised to those he believed he had hurt and expressed his wish to be remembered for his kindness.
“I was never made for this world, it seems. Yes, I did find some good people, some friends, some bits of love here and there. But I can’t do this anymore. I give up. May I find the peace in death that I never found in life,” he wrote.
